Kilkenny councillor calls for ‘Housing Aid for Older People’ grant increases
Councillor John Brennan has called on government to increase the ‘Housing Aid for Older People’ grants in this year’s Budget.
The councillor stated that the ‘ever-increasing’ cost in building material justifies the increase.
“To allow people to continue to make vital and necessary improvements to their home, there will have to be an increase,” he said.
“So many elderly and vulnerable people rely on this scheme to help them improve their living conditions.
“The importance of the scheme cannot be understated.”
The grants are for essential repairs to make it possible for an older person to continue living in their home.
They cover some of the cost of work needed, but not all of it.
The maximum grant available is €8,000 or 95% of the cost of the work approved by your local authority.
This maximum grant of 95% is available to people with annual household incomes of less than €30,000.
This reduces to 30% for those with annual household incomes of €50,001 to €60,000.