VODG responds to Disabled Facilities Grant funding

Although welcome, small pots of money like this are not enough. More, sustainable funding is needed and long overdue.

In response to additional funding being added to the Disabled Facilities Grant, Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) says:

‘Today’s announcement of additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant is welcome and will help further support some disabled people to adapt their homes in ways that improve their quality of life. It however comes at a time of austere support for disabled people, with services being pulled away and rising levels of unmet need.

‘Small pots of money like this are not enough. More, sustainable funding is needed and long overdue, to ensure that all disabled people and their families can live independent and fulfilling lives with the services and support that is right for them.’

ENDS

Notes:

For more information please contact Sarah Woodhouse, Head of Policy and Influencing, VODG: media.press@vodg.org.uk
The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) is the membership body representing 145 values-based voluntary sector organisations who work alongside disabled people. The combined turnover of our member organisations is £2.8 billion, employing 85,000 staff to support more than one million disabled people.
The government announced today (7 September 2023) an additional £50 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/government-delivers-extra-50-million-home-adaptation-funding
The Health and Social Care Committee found in its report on Social Care: Funding and Workforce (October 2020) that at least £7bn per year was needed to cover demographic changes, uplift staff pay in line with the National Minimum Wage and to protect people who face catastrophic social care costs: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/3120/documents/29193/default/

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Author

Rhidian Hughes

Chief Executive, Voluntary Organisations Disability Group

Prior to joining VODG Rhidian’s career spanned a range of senior research, regulation and consultancy roles. He worked in management consultancy across the health and social care sectors and before that in regulation. Earlier in his career Rhidian held academic appointments, leading programmes of social policy research.

Rhidian was educated at the University of York where he also earned his Doctorate.

This will help further support some disabled people to adapt their homes in ways that improve their quality of life