£1.5m funding to help vulnerable people carry on living at home

Independent Living in Suffolk has received the £1.5million funding for its work in west Suffolk from the Government's Better Care Fund.

The money will be available as grants to help pay for any adaptations to people's homes in order to help them carry on living there.

The adaptations can vary from a simple rail to more extensive works to provide access to facilities.

Enquiries will be assessed by Suffolk County Council and then West Suffolk Council will help people with the application process to support residents to carry out the work required.

West Suffolk Council has paid out more than £700,000 in grants and helped more than 100 people between December 2020 and the end of March this year.

Councillor Sara Midmay-White, Cabinet Member for Housing, said: “People through illness or age, may become less mobile and more vulnerable and suddenly living in their own home can become a real challenge.

"The work of the Independent Living in Suffolk service can make a real difference to their lives."

Matt Hancock, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and MP for West Suffolk, said: “The work that Independent Living in Suffolk is doing and the difference that is being made to the lives of many vulnerable West Suffolk residents is incredibly important.

Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Rt Hon Matt Hancock MP, believes this funding is important for people to keep their independence (Image: Archant)

"Already, just in the first three months of the service being set up, over 100 people have been helped to remain in their own homes.

"Being able to continue to live in one’s own home, in their own community, amongst neighbours, friends and family is preferable to having to go into hospital or into a care home."