Without flooring, homes can feel colder, noisier and less comfortable. Bare floors can also contribute to higher energy costs and increase the risk of issues such as condensation and damp.
It is standard practice in social housing for properties to be let without flooring to allow customers to exercise personal choice when decorating their homes. However, vulnerable social housing tenants, including those moving from homelessness, care leavers and survivors of domestic abuse, may not be able to meet the cost of a new carpet.
Working with Chippenham Borough Lands Charity (CBLC), we have jointly funded the new Carpet Grant Pilot, with a combined investment of £10,000. The scheme provides carpet, underlay and fitting for the living room of eligible tenants moving into a property without carpets.
CBLC will administer the scheme and manage applications through its established individual grant process. We will support the pilot by identifying eligible tenants through our housing services and ensuring those who may benefit are made aware of the funding available.
Beth Gardner, CEO of CBLC, said: “We are seeing more cases of people moving into homes without carpets, and the impact can be significant. It can make a property feel cold, empty and hard to settle into, particularly for families with young children and older residents. By working in partnership with GSA and jointly funding this pilot, we can test a practical response to that need and understand the difference it makes.”
Jon Dickin, Director of Homes and Communities at GSA, said: “We are delighted to be working with Chippenham Borough Lands Charity to provide additional support to our customers. This initiative builds on our strong local partnership and will help create warmer, more comfortable homes for those who need it most.
“To date, three of our customers have already benefited from the scheme, and we hope many more will do so. By helping customers settle into their homes, this pilot will make a real difference to local households.”
The pilot is expected to support around 20 to 25 households this financial year.
To qualify for the scheme, applicants must be our customers living in Chippenham, be on a low income, have no carpets in their property and have moved into a new property within the last three months.
The scheme will be reviewed at the end of the pilot period to assess its impact and inform future provision.