Consultation on Housing Renewal Assistance Policy (HRA) 2026

Overview

This consultation is now closed.

A Housing Renewal Assistance (HRA) Policy is adopted under the Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (England and Wales) Order 2002. HRA policies set out how councils use their discretionary powers to improve local housing.

Our draft policy aims include:

• focusing resources on those most in need (vulnerable groups, low-income families, disabled residents)
• enhancing private housing conditions and reducing risks
• promoting health, safety, and independence, and easing hospital discharge delays
• supporting local goals like addressing fuel poverty and empty homes

Key features

We invited you to share your views and opinions on:

• our draft aims – the goals that support how we deliver the HRA policy and underpins our work
• increasing the limit for funded works provided to certain groups to account for the rising cost of adaptations. We fund works, without checking income and benefit entitlement up to £8,000. For the groups below we propose to increase the £8,000 limit:
  • those protected by the Walsall Armed Forces Covenant
  • applicants referred by Walsall Society for the Blind
  • people with a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND)
  • palliative cases
• increasing the £3,000 limit for minor works, such as straight stairlifts, to account for rising adaptation costs. We currently do not apply a test of resources when costs are below £3,000.
• setting up a separate project for early preventions. This includes small adaptations to prevent slips, trips and falls, and assist with hospital discharges. This would mean for eligible customers, works up to £300 could be completed quicker. This could include items such as key safes and grab rails.
• continuing to offer a discretionary 5-year warranty and service for new Mandatory DFG grants provided through the Council Agency Service or approved framework contracts. This applies to vertical lifts, stair lifts, step lifts, and wash-dry toilets, as long as resources allow.

You can download and read the full draft HRA policy below.

Next steps

The final policy will be considered for approval at a Cabinet meeting in March 2026. We'll publish the new policy online when it has been approved.