Home improvements

This page contains information which can help make your home life more comfortable

Adaptations and support

If you feel that alterations to your property could make it easier for you to live at home, you may be able to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant from your local council to help with the cost. 

Essex County Council's guide to adapting your home (PDF)      
Contact 0845 603 7630 if you want to find out more.

Herts Essex Energy Partnership
Chelmsford borough council, as part of the Hertfordshire and Essex Energy Partnership is offering free 'A' rated condensing boilers (if the existing boiler is more than 20 years old and rated 'G') and help towards the cost of cavity wall and loft insulation for residents receiving Child Tax Credits or income related benefits.

Anchor Trust
They aim to provide advice and practical help with improvements, repairs, and adaptations to enable older and disabled people to remain living in their own home.

The Guinness Trust
This Trust provides a service to help people keep independent in their own homes. They provide gardening services, handyperson services and help with returning from a hospital stay. The Trust also offer help and advice with forms for home adaptations and repairs, as well as DFGs.

Papworth Trust Home Solutions
This Trust provide practical housing advice and support for anyone that is disabled, has a learning difficulty, or is older and on a low income. They work with people that own their own home or that live in rented accommodation.

Springboard
This housing association provide support for people living independently within their own home. They provide support for older people and those with learning disabilities.

Elderly Accommodation Counsel website
Details of Home Improvement Agencies available in Essex can be found on this website.
They provide practical support to enable people to stay in their own homes even when they get older or have an impairment.

Equipment for daily living

This is the general name for all the aids and adaptations that can help a person to continue living in their own home.
Assistance is available from local authorities and the NHS.

AskSARA  
This online tool asks you questions about yourself and your environment, and gives you useful advice on daily living equipment that might help you. The advice is written by their team of occupational therapists and the site also contains details of suppliers.

Assistance dogs and equipment
This page gives information on Wheelchairs, mobility scooters for road use, artificial limbs and prosthetics and guide dogs.

CareCall Solutions
They offer a range of telephone call check services that allow relatives and carers peace of mind when an elderly or vulnerable person is left alone. The services they provide include: Welfare Check, Medi-Call, Insulin Reminder, Night Safety Call and Personal Reminders.

Equipment for people with dementia (At Dementia)
This website contains information on assistive technology which can support the independence and leisure opportunities of those with dementia.

Hearing and mobility
This website has a range of mobility aids and equipment which are readily available to purchase online or via one of their nationwide stores.

Local suppliers of daily living equipment
This page lists contact details of local suppliers in Essex of daily living equipment. You can also search for suppliers elsewhere in the country.

mo-bell
This company provides a doorbell system that allows the home owner to find out who is at their door, even when they are not there. Find out more about their system. For more information view the information leaflets below:
mo-bell information leaflet 1
mo-bell information leaflet 2
mo-bell information leaflet 3

Telecare in Essex  (PDF)
This document provides details of how Telecare can be used to improve the lives of those you care for, and lists details of who you can contact.

Find a tradesperson

The Buy With Confidence Approved Trader Scheme  
This has been set up by the Essex Trading Standards Service. The Scheme covers Essex, Southend on Sea and Thurrock councils, and is part of a much wider scheme which is also operated in a number of neighbouring authorities, including Kent, the London Borough of Havering and the London Borough of Redbridge. In order to be accepted on to the scheme traders are audited by Trading Standards. This includes a check on any complaints made about the business, a Companies House search and a check to see if there any outstanding County Court Judgements against the company or its directors. Any workman entering a consumer's home has a Criminal Records Bureau check carried out, and their subcontractors either have a similar check, or are supervised at all times they are on site
 
> Find a local plumber    
> Gas Safe
> Find a domestic builder  

Energy advice and benefits

The Home Heat Helpline
This is a free national helpline offering access to grants for free home insulation and reduced or 'social' tariffs from energy suppliers, as well as advice on managing your bills and reducing your energy use.

Energy Saving Trust
The Trust's local advisers provide free, impartial advice on making your home more energy efficient. They can also tell you about grants for implementing energy efficient measures that may available in your local area.

National Energy Action
This charity campaigns for affordable warmth and better energy efficiency for people who are particularly vulnerable to the cold.

National Insulation Association
This site provides information on installing insulation and how to find an approved National Insulation Association installer in your area who can arrange a free survey and quotation for your property, and provide details of the grants available.

Stay Warm
This service from e.on is exclusively designed for the over-60s. StayWarm allows you to pay a fixed price for 12 months for all your energy by monthly Direct Debit.