Over the last three months, demand has increased significantly. We have made 220 decisions over the three month period – a 69% rise on the same time last year. April saw the biggest increase, when we responded to 108 enquiries and made 92 decisions, almost double the work recorded the previous year.
This increase has largely been driven by crisis grant cases, reflecting the ongoing financial pressures facing applicants and a growing need for immediate support.
Applications for flooring continue to appear in our casework
Flooring is often viewed as a lower priority, but our reviews show it can be critical to safety and wellbeing. We have seen cases where a lack of appropriate flooring increased risks for people with epilepsy, mobility issues and neurodevelopmental conditions, leading to injury, falls and unsafe living conditions. In these situations, we asked councils to make awards, highlighting the essential role suitable flooring plays in allowing people to live safely in their homes.