Local Funding

Braintree District Council

The main purpose of grant aid is to bring a property up to a standard that makes it fit for human habitation. If your existing home lacks basic amenities e.g. bathroom, toilet etc. or suffers extensive disrepair then provided it is considered that renovation is the best course of action the Council may provide you with a grant.

Only works needed to make the house fit can be grant aided and these will be determined by the Environmental Health Officer who will visit and undertake an inspection of your house.

Here are some examples for which a grant might be available: -

• Provision of bath, toilet, wash hand basin or sink within the dwelling for the first time.
• Rewiring - if existing wiring is dangerous.
• Works to remedy rising damp.
• Re-roofing (including re-thatching).

Home insulation - when a grant is allowed for unfitness, the grant should include works aimed at improving thermal insulation and energy efficiency. Such works might include, loft insulation, the lagging of tanks and pipework, and cavity wall insulation. Heating will be considered only where it forms an integral part of the overall scheme.

Owner-occupiers -

• If you are the free-holder
• The leaseholder with at least five years unexpired lease
• The property will be your only or main residence
• The property falls within Council Tax Bands A-E inclusive.


Landlord -

You can apply for a grant for a property of which you are the freeholder or leaseholder provided the property is vacant and will be made available for letting for at least five years after the grant is paid.

In addition you might be eligible for grant aid to convert an empty house into flats or to repair/improve an existing house in multiple occupation.

The aim of the grant is to provide financial help for those who can least afford to pay for essential works to their property. If a grant is offered it will be conditional on all works needed to bring the property up to a suitable standard of fitness being undertaken.


Landlords will be offered a straight percentage grant, which will increase if they agree to accommodate Council nominated tenants.

Owner-occupiers will be expected to undertake a test of financial resources (means test). This enables the Council to calculate what portion of the grant will be repayable if the house is sold after 5 years of the grant having been paid. Under normal circumstances the whole of the grant will be repayable.