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The number of applicants applying for grants to make their homes more disability-friendly has increased by more than 50% in two months, a council has said.

A meeting of Stockton Council heard that people were dying before hearing if they would receive the disabled facilities grant (DFG), the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Th grants are paid out to meet the cost of ramps, stairlifts, showers and extensions so that disabled people can live at home independently.

The council said it was now considering fast-tracking valid applications and offering loans, with the maximum DFG grant of £30,000 unchanged since 2008.

The council said that in March there were 181 people on the waiting list for the grant and that had now risen to 284.

It is also reviewing the means-tested DFGs, which are jointly funded with the NHS.

A meeting of the people select committee heard that the system for home owners, landlords and tenants was “sinking” because of rising costs and demands.

'High expectations'

Housing, regeneration and investment manager, Sam Dixon, told the meeting that one person had been on the waiting list since June 2023.

“We’ve got to provide options to residents to show how they can meet their needs through different avenues of adaptations," she said.

“We’ve got to meet the minimum requirement of the client’s needs.

"Sometimes expectations can be quite high but unfortunately we can only provide the minimum really."

She added that landlords could apply for the grants, bypassing a means test for tenants.

She also said the council was looking at "how to work better with housing providers."

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