Assistance for housing improvement: April 2022 to March 2023

This release presents information on financial help provided by local authorities for home improvement and repair. It includes information on disabled facilities grants (DFGs). Assistance is primarily aimed at improving private sector housing but is also available for social housing via housing renewal schemes.

Overall expenditure

• In 2022-23, the overall expenditure on assistance for housing improvement (including DFGs) was £46.6 million.
• This was the second year of increased expenditure following a low of just under £30 million in 2020-21 and signifies a return to pre pandemic levels.

DFGs

• Of the overall expenditure, £35.3 million (75.8%) was spent on mandatory DFGs.
• The average spending per mandatory DFG was £9,000.

Housing improvement (excluding DFGs)

• In 2022-2023, £9.1 million was spent on housing improvement through local authority grants, loans, third-party assistance and residents’ contributions.
• In total, 3,750 dwellings were improved through this expenditure, up 5% on the previous year but still lower than before the pandemic.
• The average spending per dwelling was £2,000, consistent with the past 10 years.

Renewal areas

• Area-based renewal schemes enable local authorities to focus activity and investment on an area where social and environmental problems are combined with poor housing.
• Renewal area expenditure has steadily decreased in the past 10 years, from £33.6 million in 2012-13 to £295,000 in 2022-23.