Many people living with motor neurone disease (MND) are dying before essential grants to adapt their homes are approved, according to new research.
The MND Association has found that it takes an average of 375 days for people with MND to receive home adaptations through the Government’s Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), largely due to a significant backlog of applications.
This delay is particularly devastating given the rapid progression of the disease. The charity estimates that around one in three people with MND die within a year of diagnosis, and roughly half die within two years.
Tanya Curry, chief executive of the MND Association, said the lengthy waiting times effectively deny people the support they urgently need. 'For someone whose condition may progress dramatically in a matter of months, waiting a year or more for vital adaptations is equivalent to being denied them altogether,' she said.
Commenting on the research, spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said: ‘Waiting for disabled facilities grant funding can have a devastating impact on people’s lives which is why we expect local authorities to progress as quickly as they can.
‘We’re taking action by investing £711m investment in the grant to cut down waiting lists, fund thousands of additional home adaptations and ensure that seriously ill people get the home adaptations they need.’
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