The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 is an
Act of Parliament
Acts of Parliament, sometimes referred to as primary legislation, are texts of law passed by the Legislature, legislative body of a jurisdiction (often a parliament or council). In most countries with a parliamentary system of government, acts of ...
of the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
. Its
long title
In certain jurisdictions, including the United Kingdom and other Westminster-influenced jurisdictions (such as Canada or Australia), as well as the United States and the Philippines, primary legislation has both a short title and a long title.
The ...
shows that it is a piece of
omnibus legislation
An omnibus bill is a proposed law that covers a number of diverse or unrelated topics. ''Omnibus'' is derived from Latin and means "to, for, by, with or from everything". An omnibus bill is a single document that is accepted in a single vote by a ...
:
:''An Act to make provision for grants and other assistance for housing purposes and about action in relation to unfit housing; to amend the law relating to construction contracts and architects; to provide grants and other assistance for
regeneration
Regeneration may refer to:
Science and technology
* Regeneration (biology), the ability to recreate lost or damaged cells, tissues, organs and limbs
* Regeneration (ecology), the ability of ecosystems to regenerate biomass, using photosynthesis
...
and development and in connection with clearance areas; to amend the provisions relating to home energy efficiency schemes; to make provision in connection with the dissolution of urban corporations,
housing action trust
Housing action trusts (HAT) were non-departmental public bodies, set up to redevelop some of the poorest council housing estates in England's inner-city suburbs.
Six housing action trusts were established under the Housing Act 1988. Each HAT wa ...
s and the
Commission for New Towns
English Partnerships (EP) was the national regeneration agency for England, performing a similar role on a national level to that fulfilled by regional development agencies on a regional level. On 1 December 2008 its powers passed to a successor ...
; and for connected purposes.''
Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs)
The act provides legislation for the provision of grant aided adaptations for disabled persons' properties within the UK. This is covered in part 1 Chapter 1. The aim of this part of the Act is to allow for provision of adaptations to disabled persons' homes to reduce both the need for people to relocate to facilities which provide full-time care and to reduce the amount of care needed in people's homes. One way this is provided for is in the provision of stairlifts allowing people to continue use of bathroom facilities in the upstairs of their homes.
Local authorities
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
may carry out the work either through provision of money to the applicant or through an agency service. Where an agency service is offered grant applicants are not obliged to take this up in order to receive a grant. In order for adaptation's to be provided an
occupational therapist
Occupational therapists (OTs) are health care professionals specializing in occupational therapy and occupational science. OTs and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) use scientific bases and a holistic perspective to promote a person's abilit ...
is usually required to carry out an assessment of the needs of the applicant.
A grant can be used for adaptations to give better freedom of movement into and around the home and/or to provide essential facilities within it. Examples of the work which may be covered by this assistance are:
* widening doors and installing ramps
* providing or improving access to rooms and facilities - for example, by installing a stair lift or providing a downstairs bathroom
* bathroom conversion e.g. providing level access shower, accessible WC and wash hand basin
* improving or providing a heating system which is suitable for the disabled person's needs
* improving access to and movement around the home to enable you to care for another person who lives in the property, such as a child
* alterations to door widths and ramps
* specialist equipment i.e. baths/ kitchens
The maximum mandatory values of works is £30,000 in England; however the local authority can use discretionary powers released through a later RRO to increase the value of works.
Construction industry
Part 2 of the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 relates to payments in the construction industry. This part was later amended by Part 8 of the
(LDEDC Act).
Under section 109, a construction company with a contract lasting 45 days or more is entitled to interim or stage payments at agreed stages as the work progresses. The frequency of interim payments is to be agreed between the parties and the value of each interim payment will reflect the value of the work completed to date as determined by the project manager or cost consultant and stated in an interim certificate, less an agreed retention percentage.
The official summary of the changes made by the
states that:
*Section 138 substitutes a new power allowing the Secretary of State and Scottish and Welsh Ministers to disapply any or all of the provisions of Part 2.
*Section 139 removes the original limitation of Part 2 to contracts which were in writing;
*Section 140 introduces a provision to facilitate the correction of clerical or
typographical error
A typographical error (often shortened to typo), also called a misprint, is a mistake (such as a spelling mistake) made in the typing of printed (or electronic) material. Historically, this referred to mistakes in manual type-setting (typography). ...
s in an adjudicator's decision;
*Section 141 makes an agreement about the allocation of the costs of adjudication ineffective, so-called "Tolent" clauses, unless certain conditions apply;
*Section 142 addresses the issue of making periodic payments under a construction contract conditional upon obligations under another contract, and the issue of making the date a payment becomes due dependent upon the giving of a notice by the payer of the sum the payer proposes to pay;
*Section 143 amends the original provisions relating to the notices which a payer gives of the sum which the payer proposes to pay and introduces provisions relating to the giving of notices by the payee;
*Section 144 introduces (in most cases) a statutory requirement to pay sums specified in these notices;
*Section 145 amends the original provisions relating to a contractor's right to stop working when the contractor has not been paid.
Architects' Registration
Part III of the Act,
Part III E+W+S+N.I. Architects
/ref> relating to architects' registration has been repealed and was re-enacted as the Architects Act 1997
The Architects Act 1997 (c. 22) is the consolidating Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom for the keeping and publishing of the statutory Register of Architects by the Architects Registration Board. It has the long title: ''An Act to cons ...
, under the Parliamentary rules for consolidating Acts.
Housing action trusts
Section 144 provided for the disposal of the assets of a housing action trust
Housing action trusts (HAT) were non-departmental public bodies, set up to redevelop some of the poorest council housing estates in England's inner-city suburbs.
Six housing action trusts were established under the Housing Act 1988. Each HAT wa ...
on its dissolution.
References
Further information
*UK Government
Information concerning DFGs
{{Housing in the United Kingdom
Registration of architects in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom Acts of Parliament 1996
Disability law in the United Kingdom
Construction law
Housing legislation in the United Kingdom