Our Story

Care & Repair was born in 1979 in Ferndale, Rhondda. It was in response to acute problems faced by older homeowners living in housing that was unfit for human habitation and lacking in basic amenities.

The pioneering project in Ferndale was followed by the development of eight Care & Repair Agencies in Wales by the mid-80s. Development was helped through an “Assisted Agency Initiative” actively supported by the Welsh Office, and “Care & Repair Ltd” which at the time was helping develop Agencies across Wales and England.

An important Conference, “Care & Repair in Wales – The Way Forward”, was held in December 1990, attended by the Welsh Consumer Council, the Welsh Office, Care & Repair Ltd, Welsh County and District Councils, Welsh Care & Repair projects and academic institutes.

The Conference agreed on several important actions including future funding and timetable for Agency development, and a plan to set up Care & Repair Cymru in 1991 as a separate independent body.

Through the 1990s, recognising the increasing housing problems faced by older people and the value of Care & Repair, Welsh Office funding grew to enable new Agencies to form. With Care & Repair Cymru leading on developing new Agencies, there were ten agencies established by 1993, and twenty by the end of 1995.

In 2003-2004 the Welsh Government announced it would provide ‘enhanced funding’ for Care & Repair Agencies to provide core Care & Repair services across the country delivered by 22 Agencies – one for each of the 22 Welsh counties.

Due to grant reductions in response to the difficult economic climate, a journey of mergers of Care & Repair Agencies started, with the aim of reducing management and overhead costs to protect front line staff and services. By 2016 there were 13 Agencies delivering Care & Repair services, but all Wales coverage remains.

Care & Repair Cymru became a Registered Charity with the Charity Commission in 2015. Since then, Care & Repair Cymru and Agencies have worked to diversify income streams to grow services and protect against any further grant cuts.

Successful applications have been made for significant additional funding from the National Lottery, Energy Savings Trust, Local Health Boards and Sustainable Social Services Grant.

Care & Repair Agencies have also developed successful local handy-person and home improvement social enterprises, with surpluses being ploughed back into delivering more Care & Repair services.

We are excited by what lies ahead and determined to do everything we can to continue to help older people living in poor housing.

Our future lies in a strong mix of Welsh Government funding, national and local funding applications to Local Authorities, Local Health Boards, Lottery, and partnerships with likeminded public organisations. We are continuing a journey of securing a greater level of public support through donations, fundraising and legacies.