Housing associations could lose hundreds of thousands of pounds under new regulations, Labour MSP Helen Eadie has claimed.
She has written to the infrastructure minister Alex Neil to ask him to reconsider recent changes which mean housing associations will have to pay for adaptations to the homes of older or disabled people if the cost is less than £1000 a tenfold increase.
The Cowdenbeath MSP raised the issue after two Fife housing associations put the cost to them at more than £60,000 each.
Mrs Eadie said there was now a real danger older and disabled people will not get the adaptations they need, and said Mr Neil should call a halt to the regulations that came into effect on April 1.
“These new rules are causing great concern for housing associations who support older people and people with disabilities in need of help.
“Housing associations who specialise in helping these groups will be hardest hit. Two I’ve contacted are looking at increases of £60,000 each and the only way find that extra money is through rent increases.
“I fear that it will mean that people will not get the adaptations they need and could end up moving into either hospital or residential care as their facilities could be inadequate to remain in their own homes.
“I know that Alex Neil has talked about preventative spending, so I hope he will see that these changes are regressive and should be immediately reconsidered.
“I hope he will listen not to me, but to the housing associations who do a great job and just cannot deal with a tenfold increase like this.
“Older and disabled people should be treated with respect. I know all members of the Scottish Parliament believe this, and I hope that Mr Neil will now ask his officials to at the least halt this move now.”
Fife housing’s chief executive Brian Hay said, “We are disappointed that the minister and his civil servants did not consult us before making this arbitrary announcement.
“This is a cut that will end up costing the tax payer more. It just does not make sense.”
He added that a lot of their tenants were growing old in houses in which they were quite happy and wanted to remain.
“Installing adaptations as infirmity and ambulant disability occurs should be seen as a fantastic opportunity to actually save money while at the same time helping individuals,” he added.