The Department has included an element in the standard on-cost to cover furniture allowances.
Furniture Allowance
There is no individual furniture allowance available under the mixed funding system. However, the Department has included an element in the standard on-cost, appropriate to each scheme type, for the provision of necessary furniture including loose fittings and furnishings. Associations should aim to provide basic items rather than luxury items.
Required / Permitted Items
Cookers, fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, etc are required or permitted to be included in certain circumstances – see Development Guide, Design Standards - together with kitchen fitments and other built-in cupboards. Floor coverings for sound or thermal insulation purposes may be provided as part of the works costs and will qualify for grant. Office or care equipment and furniture does not qualify for grant.
For more information:
On-Costs
If furniture or cookers, fridges, freezers, washing machines, tumble dryers, etc are included in the main contract they will attract on-costs such as professional fees. It will normally be more cost effective for the Association to order these separately. Where furniture - excluding cookers, fridges, etc which have been determined as required/permitted items as in previous paragraph - is provided as part of the main contract it must be deducted from the works costs for the purposes of Project Approval and the Final Cost Assessment.
For the purposes of the standard on-cost the Department has used the following guidelines on furniture provision:
Self-Contained Accommodation:
- personal furniture - Associations would not normally be expected to provide personal furniture in self-contained schemes. However in certain Supported Housing schemes the particular needs of the client group makes provision of personal furniture and equipment a necessary feature
- common rooms - Where common rooms are provided to elderly persons or Supported Housing schemes, Associations should aim to provide basic furniture etc to these rooms. Rooms may include all common sitting areas, guest rooms, TV and quiet rooms
Shared Accommodation:
- personal furniture - In certain Supported Housing schemes the particular needs of the client group may make provision of personal furniture etc a necessary feature
- communal living rooms/common rooms etc - Associations should aim to provide basic furniture to communal living/dining rooms, common rooms, etc. Rooms may include all sitting areas, guest rooms, TV and quiet rooms, etc
Replacement of Furniture
The funding arrangements for the replacement of furniture will depend on whether the furniture was provided originally from:
- the capital costs of the scheme or
- the Association's own resources
If the costs of furniture have been included in the capital costs of a scheme, the Association should use the service charge income to make provision for replacement over the relevant period. Provision should be made in the accounts for the replacement of furniture and drawn on as required. If the furniture was funded from the Association's own resources it may need to fund replacement costs by raising fresh finance.