What help is available

There are two types of help that the Council can give you to pay for repairs or improvements

Home Appreciation Loan (HAL)

A Home Appreciation Loan is a loan with no monthly repayments which you only pay back when your home is transferred to someone else, for instance because you have sold it. A Home Appreciation Loan is not a grant - it is an equity release loan. Equity is the difference between the value of your home and any money that you owe on it (such as a mortgage or a loan).

You only have to repay the loan when you no longer own your home. The amount you repay is based on how much your property has changed in value when you no longer own it. There is no set repayment term which means you will not have to sell your house until you want to.

The minimum loan you can have is £1,000 and the maximum is £30,000. The loan is secured as a legal charge against your home.

Health and Safety assistance

If you do not have enough spare equity in your home and are not eligible for a Home Appreciation Loan we can give you a grant of £5,000 to deal with essential repairs and improvements. This grant is not repayable.

We will always consider whether you can get a Home Appreciation Loan first, before deciding whether you can have a grant.

You can find more information about the help that the Council gives with home repairs and improvements on our frequently asked questions page. You can also see more information about what happens if you ask for help with repairs.