Nottingham council house tenants will be able to upgrade homes as investment planned
Council house tenants across Nottingham will soon be able to upgrade their homes with ‘life-changing’ adaptations.
The adaptations, including stair lifts, through-floor lifts and hoists, will help residents remain living independently in their homes for longer, the council says.
A vast portion of the council’s yearly budget is spent on adult social care, and the Labour-led Nottingham City Council has been looking to bring costs down.
The planned £3.1m investment in home adaptations will help residents avoid the need for more intensive health and social care support, the cost of which is significant.
Coun Jay Hayes (Lab), the council’s senior member for housing, said: “Every resident deserves a home that’s safe, accessible and supports their independence.
“These adaptations can be life-changing, helping people remain in the homes and communities they love while maintaining their dignity and quality of life.
“This investment will help ensure that council tenants who need specialist equipment can continue to receive the support they need.”
As part of the investment, the two teams that separately purchase and maintain the current adaptations will now work together, bringing costs down and simplifying the system.
According to council documents, there are around 874 properties within the council’s housing stock – roughly 3.3 per cent – that have specialist mechanical lifting equipment installed.
While demand has fluctuated over the past five years, the authority says there has been a relatively consistent need for new adaptations over the period.
Ruth Stallwood, adaptations and renewals team manager, said of the report: “This provides a sufficiently reliable basis to forecast future requirements, which are expected to remain stable over the medium term”.