Home Improvement Grants
Orkney Islands Council can assist home owners or tenants in private housing with grants to adapt their housing to meet the needs of a disabled occupant. Grants are not available for second or holiday homes; for routine repair and maintenance; or where works have started.
If you are interested in applying for a grant, please either speak to your Social Worker or Care Manager, if you have one, or you can contact Orkney Care and Repair, 15 Victoria Street, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1DN, telephone 01856873369 for advice and assistance.
Grant assistance may also be available for other types of work, including grants to increase the energy efficiency of your home. These grants are under development at present and further information will be available in due course.
Housing Standards
A house meets the tolerable standard if it:
- Is structurally stable.
- Is substantially free from rising or penetrating damp.
- Has satisfactory provision for natural and artificial lighting, for ventilation and for heating.
- Has satisfactory thermal insulation.
- Has an adequate piped supply of wholesome water available within the house.
- Has a sink provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water within the house.
- Has a water closet or waterless closet available for the exclusive use of the occupants of the house and suitably located within the house.
- Has a fixed bath or shower.
- Has a bath or shower and a wash-hand basin, each provided with a satisfactory supply of both hot and cold water and suitably located within the house.
- Has an effective system for the drainage and disposal of foul and surface water.
- In the case of a house having a supply of electricity, complies with the relevant requirements in relation to the electrical installations for the purposes of that supply.
1. "The electrical installation" is the electrical wiring and associated components and fittings, but excludes equipment and appliances.
2. "The relevant requirements" are that the electrical installation is adequate and safe to use.
- Has satisfactory facilities for the cooking of food within the house.
- Has satisfactory access to all the external doors and outbuildings.
Your home is described as having all the “standard amenities” if it has:
- A hot and cold water supply.
- A bath or shower with a hot and cold water supply.
- A wash hand basin.
- A sink with a hot and cold water supply.
- A toilet.
Further Information
Please contact our Building Standards team by telephone on 01856873535 for further advice regarding Home Improvement Grants.
