Safe & Warm Assistance

A loan for owner-occupiers to carry out essential home repairs

Safe & Warm Assistance is a loan of up to £10,000 to help owner-occupiers carry out a wide range of essential home repairs.

What repairs can I get help with?

Typical repairs include:

• Heating and hot water
• Roof
• Damp proof course
• Gutters and drain pipes
• Windows / doors
• Electrics

A Housing officer will visit you to assess the repairs that are needed and tell you whether they fit our criteria.

How do I repay the loan?

The loan can be repaid in two ways - you choose which type of loan you prefer and we will carry out checks to make sure that it is suitable for you.

The first option is an interest-free monthly repayment loan. You start paying the loan back one month after we make the first payment for your home repairs, and you can pay it back over a period of up to ten years. We have produced a Rough Guide to Monthly Repayments (PDF, 176KB) showing how much you can expect to pay depending on how much you borrow. 

The second option is an equity share loan. We offer you a loan in exchange for a share in the value of your property. There are no regular repayments, and no interest is added to the loan. You don't repay the loan until you sell your home or it is transferred to another person.  The repayment will be based on the value of the property at the time that you sell or transfer it. For example, if we loan you £10,000 and your property is worth £100,000, we will have a 10% share in your property. When you come to repay the loan, the Council's stake is 10% of the sale price, so if the property is sold for £110,000, you repay £11,000.

Am I eligible for this loan?

To qualify for this loan, the main criteria you need to meet is one or more of the following:

• You are aged 60 or over, and on a low income
  
• You receive one of the following income related benefits
  • Income Support
  • Council Tax Benefit
  • Income Based Job Seekers Allowance
  • Pension Credit Guarantee
  • Income Related Employment and Support Allowance
  • Child Tax Credit (with assessable income of £15,050 or less)
  • Working Tax Credit (with assessable income of £15,050 or less)
    
• You receive one of the following disability related benefits, and on a low income
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
    
• You receive one of the following Armed Forces related benefits, and on a low income
  • War Disablement Pension
  • Armed Forces Compensation Scheme Guaranteed Income Payment

 How can I apply?

Please note that we are experiencing high demand for financial assistance for home repairs. Your details will be added to a waiting list, and enquiries will be prioritised to ensure we assist the most urgent cases first.

First, you need to complete the online Safe & Warm Homes Enquiry for Financial Assistance form. We will assess your enquiry and contact you to make arrangements to visit your home.

Contact us

To find out more, please contact the Care & Repair team on 0300 123 5017 (select option 3) or email careandrepair@cheshireeast.gov.uk.