House and Home

Peterborough City Council also have a ‘Choice Based’ lettings scheme. It gives you the chance to choose which properties you would like to be considered for. Different properties are advertised each week on the Peterborough Homes Website, in Area Housing Offices, and at the Housing Options reception in Peterborough Central Library. Posters of the properties are also displayed in all local libraries in Peterborough: Drinksense, The New Haven, Timestop, GLADCA, Connexions, and St Theresa’s. They are also advertised in the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.

The rental deposit scheme assists potentially homeless people to access the private rental sector. Applicants under this scheme cannot be considered if they have any rent arrears outstanding (current or former). They will also be required to pay back the deposit in affordable instalments within a pre-arranged timescale. The Council receives a lot of applications for assistance under this scheme and unfortunately is unable to help everyone. To qualify for consideration under this scheme you must be on the Housing Register and be homeless or threatened with homelessness in the very near future.

We at Disability Peterborough can inform you on this, Telephone 01733 265551, or Email info@disabilitypeterborough.org

You can also contact Peterborough City Council directly, Telephone 01733 864064, or Visit www.peterborough.gov.uk

If you are experiencing housing problems relating to homelessness, eviction, repossession or repairs and bad housing condition, you can contact the Citizens Advice Bureau.

Peterborough Citizens Advice Bureau has a specialist Community Legal Services contract in Housing Advice. They provide free, confidential advice and representation for clients at rent and mortgage possession hearings at the County Court and advice on housing issues, such as disrepair, illegal eviction and nuisance issues. Telephone 03444994120, or Visit www.citapeterborough.org.uk

The Floating Support Service charity is a free service for people in the greater Peterborough area who need housing related advice and support. Support workers offer home visits to provide support with housing issues from benefits advice to prevention of homelessness. Telephone 0808 169 8099, Email CPFSS@p3charity.org, or Visit www.p3charity.org

Shelter is a charity offering advice and advocacy, and representation at court where appropriate. Priority casework includes:

• Homelessness
• Mortgage Possession Action
• Landlord Possession Action
• Homelessness Reviews
• Threatened Illegal Eviction

Telephone 0844 515 1860, or Visit www.england.shelter.org.uk

The department provides free and confidential advice on all Housing issues, ranging from joining the housing register, looking for private property, through to losing your accommodation. Telephone 01733 864064

Tenants who wish to transfer properties within Peterborough should phone Housing Options on 01733 747474. National organisations are also available.

Sheltered Accommodation provides independent living with the added security of scheme managers available to help with emergencies, and to offer practical assistance where possible. Most sheltered scheme properties are available to people who are of retirement age, however sometimes Housing Associations will consider people who are younger for their schemes. When sheltered schemes are advertised through the Choice Based Letting Scheme, it should state how old you need to be to be considered as a tenant.

Housing Options occasionally has first floor sheltered properties or sheltered bed-sits, which are less popular and therefore more difficult to let. If you are interested in discussing these properties, please contact a Housing Support Officer on 01733 864064

Certain repairs may be free through Peterborough Adult Social Care. An Occupational Therapist will assess you and may arrange for minor alterations, such as the provision of handrails, to be completed through the Care and Repair scheme. Items need to be paid for under this scheme but fitting is free of charge. Telephone 01733 863895.

For more extensive structural work, such as ramps and stairlifts, or the addition of extra rooms, you will need to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Peterborough Adult Social Care will assess your financial position to see what contribution you may need to make and work cannot commence until you receive grant approval.

Peterborough City Council Housing Options team is made up of Housing Options Officers and the Housing Support Team. They deliver a wide range of services to people with housing needs throughout Peterborough. They assess client’s needs for re-housing, give advice on options available, and can assist with access to various types of accommodation. Disabled people can request home visits from the team, Telephone 01733 864064

The Peterborough Homes Service operates a single housing register of homes owned by a number of Peterborough-based housing associations and is administered by the city council’s Housing Options team. It permits home-seekers and those who want to move to another property to submit bids for available accommodation.

The initiative means that home-seekers need to apply to a single housing register to express an interest in properties. Available homes are advertised each week in the Peterborough Homes advertisement, which appears in the Thursday edition of the Peterborough Evening Telegraph, on the Peterborough Homes’ website www.peterborough-homes.com under ‘Housing Options’, Sand Martin House, Bittern Way, Fletton Quays, all city council-run libraries as well as a wide range of other organisations. Interested people can make ‘bids’ by telephone, fax, email or online.

Once bids are received by the Housing Options team, they are prioritised according to individual needs and those with the highest priority are allowed to view prospective properties before a final decision is made. Telephone 01733 864064, or Visit www.peterborough-homes.com

This is list of housing associations with properties in the area.

• Asra Midland Housing Association
  78 Burleys Way,
  Leicester,
  LE1 3BD.
  02085480882
  www.housingcare.org
• Longhurst Group (Previously Axiom)
  Axiom House,
  Maskew Avenue,
  Peterborough,
  PE1 2SX.
  0300 1231745
  www.longhurst-group.org.uk
• Cross Keys Homes
  Shrewsbury Avenue,
  Woodston,
  Peterborough,
  PE2 7BZ.
  01733 385000
  www.crosskeyshomes.co.uk
• Anchor Hanover Housing Association
  Nelson House,
  Allington Road,
  Eynesbury,
  St Neots,
  PE19 2RB.
  0800 2802575
  www.hanover.org.uk
• Housing 21
  Unit 9 Avro Court,
  Ermine Business Park,
  Huntingdon,
  PE18 6XS.
  0300 1231745
  www.housing21.co.uk
• Longhurst Housing Association
  Friar House,
  Quaker Lane,
  Boston,
  PE21 6DZ.
  0300 1231745
  www.longhurst-group.org.uk
• The Hyde Group
  Jubilee House,
  92 Lincoln Road,
  Huntingdon,
  PE18 6DH.
  01733 349800 or 0800 3282282
  www.hyde-housing.co.uk
• Accent Group
  Manor House,
  57 Lincoln Road,
  Peterborough,
  PE1 2RR.
  03456 780555
  www.accentgroup.org

Winter Fuel Payment is a one-off payment to help older people (over 60) with their winter heating bills.
You should get your payment automatically if:

• You are aged 60 or over and getting a social security benefit
• If you got a payment last winter, as long as your circumstances have not changed

The Winter Fuel Payment Helpline is open from 8.30am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday. You should have your National Insurance number ready when you call. Telephone 0800 731 0160

The Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre in Anglia can give advice on reducing your carbon footprint by using renewable energy and minimising domestic energy. They have information on disability discount schemes and can help you to swap energy providers. They also give advice on possible sources of grant funding available to disabled people. Telephone 0800 512012

Warm Front can help make homes warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient. The Warm Front Grant provides a package of insulation and heating improvements up to the value of £2,700 (or £4,000 if oil central heating is recommended). If you own your own home or rent it from a private landlord, you may be eligible for a grant under the Warm Front Scheme. Telephone 0800 083 4333

Cold Weather Payment will help you with extra heating costs during very cold weather in your area. You may be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each week of very cold weather in your area if you get Pension Credit. You may also be eligible for a Cold Weather Payment for each qualifying week if you are getting Income Support or income-based Job seeker’s Allowance and have a child under five or get one of the following:

• A pensioner premium, higher pensioner premium or enhanced pensioner premium
• A disability premium or severe disability premium
• A disabled child premium
• Child Tax Credit that includes an individual element for a child or qualifying young person who is disabled or severely disabled

You will receive £8.50 when the average temperature where you live is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below, over seven consecutive days during the period from 1 November to 31 March. You do not need to apply, you will get a Cold Weather Payment automatically as long as you qualify. Tell your pension centre or Job centre Plus if you think you should have received a Cold Weather Payment but you have not had one.

The Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre in Anglia, can give advice on reducing your carbon footprint by using renewable energy and minimising domestic energy. They have information on disability discount schemes and can help you to swap energy providers. They also give advice on possible sources of grant funding available to disabled people. Telephone 0800 512012

Elderly and vulnerable residents who need some help with small jobs and repairs around the home can contact Peterborough City Council Handyperson scheme (run by Care and Repair). The scheme arranges for volunteers to help with a wide range of minor tasks, such as putting up shelves and curtain rails or small plumbing and electrical jobs the list is quite extensive. The service is free of charge, although residents are expected to supply or pay for the materials used. Telephone 01733 863860

The government funded free TV Licence scheme for people over 75 years old was replaced on 1 June 2020. It is now only availble for those on Pension Credit, 75 years and older. You can still get TV licence concessions if you are registered blind or if you live in a nursing home, residential care, or in sheltered accommodation. To find out more information call TV Licensing on 0300 790 6071