Disrepair to Repair: Pilot Scheme Highlights Urgent Need for Safety-Net Grant to Protect Vulnerable Older People

A new report by Care & Repair Cymru has revealed the growing crisis facing older people in Wales who are living in unsafe and deteriorating homes.

Every day, Care & Repair caseworkers encounter older people unable to afford even the most basic repairs to their homes. In many areas of Wales, there is currently no public funding available to tackle serious or urgent disrepair among vulnerable, low-income older people.

The last Welsh Housing Conditions Survey, published in 2018, found that 18% of homes in Wales contained a health hazard. However, the current figure is now likely to be far higher.

In response to this urgent need, the board of Conwy & Denbighshire Care & Repair launched a ‘Disrepair to Repair Fund’ (D2RF) pilot in 2024, investing £50,000 from reserves to provide essential home repairs for older and vulnerable clients who had no other funding options available.

The results have been striking:

• Total amount awarded (2024–25): £22,553
• Average grant per intervention: £2,050
• Social value generated: £3.65 for every £1 spent

The report found that the pilot not only improved safety and comfort for participants but also demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of such a scheme, preventing hospital admissions, enabling independent living, and improving wellbeing.

Based on the pilot’s success, Care & Repair is urging the Welsh Government to roll out a nationwide Safety-Net Grant to ensure all older people in Wales can live in safe, warm, and accessible homes.