Home Repair Loans

What it is for

The purpose of the home repair loan is to provide help with small-scale works of repair, improvement for clients who are 60 years of age or over, or persons of any age who have a disability. Examples of work covered under this scheme include:

• roof repairs and repair or renewal of gutters and down-pipes
• repairs to doors or windows
• electrical repairs (not rewiring), including providing mains operated battery back up smoke alarms
• re-plastering works
• minor external repairs to pointing/render to prevent the ingress of water
• isolated/minor works of timber treatment
• minor plumbing repairs (not solely the replacement of washers)
• works to remedy severe condensation problems
• works to repair or renew garden walls (not fences) - to remove a serious hazard
• repairs to garden paths/paving – to remove a serious trip hazard

All works will be assessed by a surveyor to check that they would fall under the criteria of loan works. 

Who can apply

To be able to apply for this assistance an applicant must meet all of the following criteria:

• be either 60 years of age or over, or have a disability or be infirm (persons of any age).
• be an owner-occupier or live in the dwelling under a right of exclusive occupation for a period of more than 5 years, or for life. 
• have a duty or a power to carry out the works.
• live in the dwelling as their only or main residence

For the purposes of this loan, an applicant has a disability if any of the following applies to them:

• in receipt of Disability Living Allowance, or Attendance Allowance, or Personal Independence Payments 
• registered disabled in pursuance of arrangements under section 29(1) of the National Assistance Act 1948 (handicapped person’s welfare)
• is a person for whose welfare arrangements have been made under that provision, or in the opinion of the welfare authority, might be made under it

Applications for a home repair loan will not be accepted where there are resident working joint owners where, in addition to the applicant, other person(s) under the age of 60 live in and have an interest in the property and are working or earning.

The means test

To qualify for assistance an applicant must be in receipt of one of the following means tested benefits:

• income support
• working tax credit and income of less than £15,050 per annum
• child tax credit and income of less than £15,050 per annum
• housing benefit
• council tax benefit
• income related Employment and Support Allowance or income related Jobseekers Allowance
• guaranteed pension credit
• universal credit

 or for persons 60 years of age or over not in receipt of one of the above:

• have less than £10,000 in savings

How to apply

The home repair loans are administered by the Croydon Home Improvement Agency. You can contact the agency via: 

HSG-CHIA@croydon.gov.uk

0208 760 5505

Related pages

• View conditions attached to the repair loan
• Loan assistance - FAQs