St Helens Home Improvement Agency is a not-for-profit organisation run by St Helens Council. Our aim is to provide you with guidance and assistance to carry out whatever repairs, improvements or adaptations are necessary to help you continue living independently in your home in comfort and safety.

Aids & Adaptations
If you, or someone living with you, has a disability, then we assist with providing equipment or adaptations which will enable you to continue living in your property and will help to substantially increase your quality of life.

If you are having difficulty using the bath, getting to the toilet or accessing your property, then the Council may be able to provide you with a piece of equipment, such as an additional stair rail, grab rails, bath seat or other portable equipment.

If these do not solve the problem then it may be decided that an adaptation is necessary, for example a shower over the bath or a stairlift. In the first instance, you should contact the Customer Services Officer and ask for an Occupational Therapy Assessment.

All disabled people are entitled to an assessment to decide what equipment or adaptations they need. The Home Improvement Agency will assist you with the process once the assessment is complete. To speak to a Customer Services Officer, please call 01744 676600.

Affordable Warmth

• Are your energy bills too high?
• Struggling to pay your fuel bills, or in debt with your energy supplier?
• Unsure about how to switch to a cheaper energy supplier?
• Perhaps you live in a cold/damp home and need help keeping warm?

If your home is not energy efficient, then you will be wasting money just trying to keep it warm. Properly insulating your home could save you money. Our Affordable Warmth Unit can provide practical help and advice with all these matters and more!

Care & Repair and Handyperson Service

If you need work doing to your home, but are not confident about getting someone to do it, or you are not sure you can afford it, then we can help.

• We can offer you practical help and advice with home maintenance.
• We can identify what is wrong with your home and advise how best to put it right.
• We can provide you with a list of approved contractors, a schedule of works and advise on cost.
• We will check the work and will only approve payment on satisfactory completion. In fact, we will help you through the whole process, from beginning to end.
• We also have a Handyperson's service, which helps with small repairs and DIY jobs around the home.

The service will also carry out work that will help to prevent accidents in the home. Some examples of work carried out include: fitting stair rails and grab rails; unblocking sinks and fixing dripping taps; changing light bulbs and replacing fuses.

You pay only for materials - we provide the labour free of charge. Donations towards the service are welcome.

Home Safety and Security
There is a range of monitoring equipment available that can help you to maintain your independence and security in your own home.

• The Lifeline Emergency Unit could be installed. This is linked directly to a control centre, staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, where staff will respond quickly and sensitively to all callers.
• Additional monitoring (assistive technology) is available via a range of sensors which connect to the Lifeline Unit. These include sensors to detect Carbon monoxide, smoke/fire, flooding or drops in temperature.
• We can also install a range of door entry systems, according to your specific need.

Whilst there are charges for our services, a range of funding is available via Disabled Facilities Grants, Government Grants and charitable funding where appropriate.

The Home Improvement Agency will advise you as to what funding is available and will assist with all the necessary applications. You will be advised of any costs that may be incurred before you commit yourself to any of our services.