Optional Extra - February 2009
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Expansion of LIFT Open Market schemeThe Scottish Government has increased funding for the scheme to £60m for 2009-10 and LIFT will cover the whole of Scotland for the first time.
The scheme is aimed at first-time buyers and disabled people who need to move to accommodation more suitable for their needs. Under the LIFT Open Market Pilot, the buyer pays a majority share in a property through borrowing - normally between 60% and 80% of the price - with the Scottish Government funding the remainder as an interest-free equity stake.
Link Housing already runs the LIFT scheme in Edinburgh & the Lothians and the areas covered by Perth & Kinross and Stirling Councils and will be extending the scheme into the Scottish Borders, Fife, Angus, Dundee, Clackmannanshire and Falkirk Council areas from April 2009.
Buyers in the Highland Council area can access LIFT through Albyn Housing Society and those in Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire and the Moray Council areas can apply through Grampian Housing Association.
Access OwnershipIn January 2009 Ownership Options and the Link Group launched an innovative home ownership scheme for disabled people called Access Ownership. This new scheme is a form of shared ownership. Shared Ownership schemes have been available in Scotland since the 1980s and have proved popular with homebuyers. The Link Group has set aside £1m of its own reserves to assist disable people with home ownership.
Access Ownership can enable disabled people to have more choice about where to live and can make a suitable house more affordable. Access Ownership can help people to buy a suitable home or reduce their financial commitments in their current home.
The scheme is open to all disabled people and their parents and carers. All referrals to the scheme must be made through Ownership Options. Ownership Options will go through an assessment process with each individual to see if the scheme is appropriate for their particular circumstances.
Under Access Ownership the disabled person owns a share in the property (up to a maximum of 75%) and the Link Group owns the remaining share. A monthly occupancy charge is paid to the Link Group. In most cases this cost will be covered by Housing Benefit.
Link also offers a full repairs and maintenance service the cost of which can be included in the occupancy charge.
If you think Access Ownership might be suitable for you please contact Ownership Options for more information.
One of the first people to benefit from the scheme is John*, 24, who experiences Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He currently lives independently in Perthshire, around 20 miles away from his parents' home and needs to be nearer to his family.
Ownership Options has been working with the family to find John a suitable house for several years but John's financial situation and the lack of property locally have prevented this. John has been assessed as being 'priority need' by the local council and housing associations but it is unlikely that a property will become available for a number of years.
A bungalow has come up for sale which John could not afford to buy outright but which, through Access Ownership, he can afford to purchase on a shared ownership basis. His application for a mortgage is currently in progress.
John's mother said: "Close and regular family contact is immensely important to John's wellbeing. The help of Access Ownership could offer the solution and would provide a real opportunity to achieve John's move home.
*Names have been changed
Ownership Options celebrates!To mark our 10th anniversary we held a reception at the Scottish Parliament, hosted by Jackie Baillie MSP, with Stewart Maxwell MSP, then Minister for Communities & Sport, as keynote speaker.
Guests watch the new Ownership Options' dvd
Ownership Options’ Director, Moira Bayne, said: "For many disabled people and their families, a suitable home is one where they can maximise their independence, without seemingly simple things that others may take for granted becoming a source of great stress and anxiety.
"The support of Jackie Baillie MSP and Stewart Maxwell MSP at our 10th anniversary event reflects a welcome recognition of the importance and increasing need for suitable homes for disabled people."
Co-Chairs of Ownership Options, Catherine Garrod and Jane-Claire Judson, with Stewart Maxwell MSP
Stewart Maxwell, said: "I would like to commend Ownership Options for the invaluable work over the last 10 years making a real difference for disabled people and their families.
"We are about to publish guidance on changes we are introducing to the system of financial assistance for disabled property owners who need to adapt their home. These changes will mean a simpler, fairer and more consistent system across Scotland. I would like to thank Ownership Options for working with us in developing this new system."
Jackie Baillie said: "Disabled people face many challenges and barriers but the right home can enable them to participate fully and equally in community life, knowing that their housing needs are being met. Ownership Options is carrying out great work helping to make this a reality for many disabled people and their families across Scotland."
Guests at the celebration saw the first screening of the charity's new DVD which tells the personal stories of three people with different disabilities who have benefited from Ownership Options' advice.
Robert Robertson and Craig Sanderson, Link Group
The DVD has been partly funded by Link Group and The Blackwood Foundation, associatied with Margaret Blackwood Housing Association and we are immensely grateful for their support.
Hospitality for the reception was generously funded by Diamond Water.
Paul Gregory of Diamond Water
Laura's StoryLaura had to move back in with her elderly parents after her marriage broke down and the property she owned with her husband had to be sold.
Laura suffers from osteoarthritis in her feet, which compromises her mobility and makes it difficult for her to go up and down stairs. Laura also has epilepsy and suffers from stress and anxiety.
Laura had £85,000 of equity from the sale of her marital home and was keen to remain a homeowner. She needed a 2 bedroom, ground floor property. The extra bedroom was for a possible carer in the future due to her mobility issues and worsening epilepsy.
Laura contacted Ownership Options to find out what her housing options were, mainly to see if she could remain a homeowner if possible. We advised Laura of the options that were available to her including the LIFT open market scheme. Laura was eligible for the scheme due to her particular housing needs arising from her disability.
Laura was very interested in the LIFT scheme and we advised her of the steps she would need to take and the documentation she would need to gather if she decided to apply. Normally when applying for LIFT you have to prove you have maximised your income and obtain three mortgage offers. As Laura is disabled and receives income from benefits, this was not realistic. Laura obtained letters from mortgage lenders advising her that her benefit income was too low which in turn meant that they could not offer her a mortgage.
After Laura gathered all the documentation required and completed the application form, Ownership Options gave Laura a letter of support to say that we had been working with her to find a housing solution. Laura was accepted for LIFT and expected to put £80,000 of the equity from the sale of her previous home towards the new purchase. This would allow her to keep £5,000 as capital retention. Through the LIFT scheme she was told she could buy a ground floor, 2 bedroom property up to £125,000. Laura found a property that she thought would be ideal and after some negotiation, her offer was accepted. She was very happy about being able to move to her own property and be independent again.
Work to meet the needs of disabled peopleIn the last issue of Optional Extra we reported on the Scottish Government’s consultation on the implementation of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 .
The Scottish Government has recently issued guidance to local authorities in Scotland entitled “Work to meet the needs of disabled people”. This is the 6th volume in a suite of guidance which will help local authorities to implement the requirements of the 2006 Act. The associated duties and regulations come into force in April 2009. The guidance can be found here.
The guidance acknowledges that large numbers of disabled people would be able to live more independently if their houses were suitably adapted. Local authorities are to have the lead role in assisting disabled people and in order to help local authorities fulfil their duties the Scottish Government will provide funding, guidance and other forms of support.
In addition to the adaptations provisions, paragraphs 99-101 of the guidance refer specifically to assistance with "acquisition or sale" and "construction” of a house "where this is the most effective way of meeting assessed community care needs". The guidance states that local authorities will be encouraged to take a “flexible approach” to the housing needs of disabled people.
The legislation applies to all disabled people and not just those with a physical impairment. Local authorities will be required to take a corporate approach to fulfilling their duties.
Local authorities will be required to provide a detailed Statement of Assistance covering assessment, prioritisation, financial assistance, definitions of eligibility, and dispute resolution procedures. The expectation is that some local authorities will not have established a detailed scheme until 2009/2010 but they are nevertheless expected to make the public aware of the provisions of the legislation which comes into effect on 1st April 2009.
We're moving...Ownership Options is moving to new premises on 24th March 2009. Our new address will be
Ownership Options
The Tudsbery Centre
The Thistle Foundation
Niddrie Mains Road
Edinburgh
EH16 4EA
t: 0131 661 3400
e: info@oois.org.uk
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