Spire Homes

The Care and Repair Service is delivered by Spire Homes ( A Member of the Longhurst Group). Longhurst Group thrive at being a leading provider of housing, care and support services. With a great set of values, they make a positive difference within our local communities, making it a place people want to live.

Care and Repair’s primary aim is to support home owners and private tenants over 60, or of any age with a disability, to remain living safely, independently and securely within their home whether at their current property or by moving to more suitable accommodation. This includes adaptations, aids, home repairs, energy efficiency measures, support with accessing alternative housing and signposting to other services to ensure each individuals overall well-being.

Case Work support

Care and Repair’s Healthy Homes Service provides information, advice and support to enable our customers to maintain their independence and live safely and well in their home.

Their Case Work Service includes:

A healthy homes assessment which enables a discussion with the customer about how they are living/managing in their current home and their needs and aspirations.
Advice on housing options; working with the customer to help them make informed decisions about their housing in the future using the ‘Housing Options for Older People’ assessment tool. This includes looking at their current home and whether it is suitable for their needs or whether a move to more suitable accommodation would be appropriate.
Advice, information and assistance with adaptions/repairs to their current home.
Assistive Technology Assessments.
Financial assessments to check welfare benefit entitlement and eligibility for any grants.
Assistance with applying for grants and charitable funding sources including Disabled Facilities Grant applications, access to funding for heating repairs, contributions to grants and removal costs.
Assistance with applying for housing.
Information regarding other services that can support the individual such as referrals to Occupational Therapy, Adult Care, Befriending Schemes, benefits checks and applications etc.
Completion of Attendance Allowance Forms by their Volunteer Benefit Officers.

Technical Support

Their Technical Officers are skilled at designing schemes, working in partnership with Occupational Therapy, to meet a client’s medical needs which will enable them to live safely at home. This work ranges from level access showers, ramps and basic repairs to two storey extensions. Their Technical Officers are also skilled at identifying repairs issues. Their provision of technical works includes:

Survey and design of a suitable adaption scheme.
Provision of drawings using Draft site software and a detailed specification.
Tendering to contractors off our approved list.
Submission of applications for Building Regulation and Planning Permission and monitoring compliance with CDM Regulations 2015.
Monitoring the work of contractors on site, which includes administrating contracts through to practical completion ensuring that work is carried out to a high standard and any defects rectified.

Adapt (Private Design Service)

they offer a private design service called ‘Adapt’ to customers over 50 who may not qualify for a grant but wish to pay privately to use our service. They offer different levels of support at different costs depending on the individual’s requirements; for example, they may wish to use our service for the survey and drawing for a scheme only or they may wish for us to also monitor the works on site etc.

Warm Homes/ Falls Prevention Service

Care and Repair have an emergency fund raised to help clients who face significant hardship and are unable to afford essential repairs. This is also used to purchase heaters that can be loaned to customers whilst they are waiting for their heating to be repaired. They also have a supply of warm homes packs consisting of a blanket, thermal socks, hot water bottle, hat, gloves, thermal mug etc. and a slips, trips and falls pack consisting of a non-slip map, shoe horn, automatic night security light and a PIR Led light for customers in need. As a Care and Repair agency they are also able to apply to the Foundations Independent Living Trust Fund for funding to help individuals with heating repairs etc.