Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if he will meet with the hon. Member for Stratford-on-Avon and their constituents to discuss how to improve access to appropriate accommodation for families with significant medical needs.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.
As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.
The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, if his Department will reform the Disabled Facilities Grant system to improve support for families who need to move to access an adaptable property.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.
As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.
The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to strengthen national guidance on accessible housing provision within local plans.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.
As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.
The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, what plans his Department has to help families in which at least one person has a serious medical condition to access appropriate housing.
Answered by Alison McGovern - Minister of State (Housing, Communities and Local Government)
Government recognises how important the right home environment is in enabling disabled people to live as safely, well and independently as possible.
As part of the legislative framework for social housing allocations, Local Housing Authorities are required to give reasonable preference (priority) to people who need to move on medical or welfare grounds, including grounds relating to a disability. This is to ensure that social housing goes to those who need it most.
The revised National Planning Policy Framework, published on 12 December 2024, requires local planning authorities to assess the size, type and tenure of housing needed for different groups in the community, including those of disabled people, and to reflect this in planning policies. Where an identified need exists, plans are expected to help bring forward an adequate supply of accessible housing. This can include setting out the proportion of new homes to be delivered to accessibility standards. The government will shortly set out its policies on accessible new build housing, reinforcing our commitment to ensuring everyone has access to a safe, suitable home.
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a capital grant administered by local authorities in England that can help meet the cost of adaptations for people of all ages and tenures to make their home safe and suitable for their needs.
The DFG is there to enable all eligible disabled people to access vital home adaptations, subject to a needs assessment and means test. Local authorities have a statutory duty to provide adaptations for people who satisfy a needs assessment, eligibility criteria and a means test, and have powers to agree a more generous local policy. To support this duty, government have boosted funding for the DFG to £711 million for both 2024-25 and 2025-26.
Government continues to keep all aspects of the DFG under consideration. We have consulted on a new approach to allocating DFG funding to local authorities in England to ensure funding for the grant is better aligned with local needs. Responses have been carefully analysed and we are now considering next steps.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, whether her Department plans to review the British Council’s funding and governance model to reduce its vulnerability to future global shocks.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 28 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.
Asked by: Manuela Perteghella (Liberal Democrat - Stratford-on-Avon)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, what options her Department is exploring to support the British Council’s financial resilience, including grant support, loan refinancing, or alternative funding mechanisms.
Answered by Chris Elmore - Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
I refer the Hon Member to the answer I provided on 28 October in response to question 906060, and to the oral evidence provided to the Foreign Affairs Committee on 9 December by the Permanent Under-Secretary to the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and on 16 December by the Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs, where these issues were addressed at length.