Thinking of moving home

 

Information for older people

Housing Care provides a range of information and advice services to help older people think about their future, and how to ensure they can continue to live safely and well at home whatever changes and challenges ageing brings.

Visit the Housing Care website for more information, tools and resources to help you consider your options if you are thinking about moving home.

 

Adapt my home self assessment

The Adapt My Home self assessment allows you to check how well your home supports your needs, and whether you could benefit from some adaptations to help you stay safe and independent. You will be asked some quick questions about how you are managing at home.

At the end, your home will be given a score to show how suitable it is for you and suggest ways you could make it better.

You can also check if you are eligible to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) from your local council to help towards the work.

Visit adaptmyhome.org.uk to take the assessment and find out if your home could be adapted to help you stay safe.

 

Decision Helper

Foundations have developed a Decision Helper tool to help you decide about moving home called “should I stay or should I go?”

Visit adaptmyhome.org.uk to use the Decision helper tool.

 

Move On guide

The Foundations move on guide focusses on how others can assist older individuals in moving to a new home to improve their quality of life, including:

• The reasons moving might be beneficial
• Approaching the conversation
• How to select an appropriate home
• Handling financial considerations
• Simplifying the moving process

The guide is for professionals, but contains helpful information and advice for anyone to who may want to help someone consider whether moving home is right for them.

Read the Foundations guide to Move On

 

How well does your home suit you?

Housing Options for Older People have developed a questionnaire to help you think about the different aspects of your home and how to live in it.

Visit HOOP: Housing Options for Older People (eac.org.uk) to complete the questionnaire.

 

Housing options in later life

Check out the Good Home Lincs Housing with Support pages for more information about Housing options in later life.

 

Money Helper

Money Helper is a free, unbiased and impartial service set up by the government.

Money Helper Tools

• Mortgage affordability calculator
• Mortgage calculator
• Stamp duty calculator
• Budget Planner

Money Helper - Mortgages

Money Helper provides information about the financial side of home buying – whether you’re a first-time buyer or not – including the different mortgage types, extra costs you need to factor in and help you might be able to get.

And if you’re struggling to pay your mortgage and need some help, or are looking to remortgage or release money for retirement, they have that covered too.

Visit the Money Helper website for more information about:

• Buying your first home
• Understanding mortgages
• Help to buy a home
• House buying extra costs
• Struggling with mortgages
• Help with mortgages
• Remortgaging or switching your mortgage
• Borrowing later in life

Money Helper – Renting a home

Renting is a significant financial responsibility, and it’s important you understand this goes beyond just your rent payments. There are a lot of other costs you need to think about. 

Money helper provides information the financial costs of renting, including:

• How much rent you can afford
• Estimating the cost of your rent plus bills
• Drawing up a budget of all your costs
• Upfront renting costs

Visit the Money Helper website for more information about the financial costs of renting your home.

 

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice provide information on the process of selling a house including estate agents, the use of solicitors, exchange of contract and completion.

Visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk for more information about Selling a home and moving and improving your home.

 

How to sell a home

Gov.uk provides guidance on selling a home. First-time sellers may find it particularly useful, but even more experienced sellers need to know what processes or requirements have changed since their last sale.

It is focused on freehold properties.

It includes a short overview of how to sell a leasehold property – more detailed information is available in government’s How to lease guide.

Visit Gov.uk to read the guidance on How to sell a home.

 

Shelter England

Shelter provide information and advice for private tenants and people looking to rent from a private landlord, including what to do when you leave you rented home.

Visit Home - Shelter England for more information about:

• Access for viewings before you move out
• Moving out on time
• Leaving the property in a good condition
• Charges for cleaning
• Check out inspections
• Contacting utility suppliers and the council
• Getting your deposit back
• Making sure your rent is up to date

 

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice provide information on Ending your tenancy, including moving out of the property.

Visit www.citizensadvice.org for more information about ending your tenancy, giving notice and moving out of the property.

 

Post Office Moving Home Checklist

The Post Office have developed a Moving Home Checklist of things to do and think about when moving to your new home.

Visit postoffice.co.uk for information and advice about:

• Confirming the date of your move
• Giving notice to your landlord (if you’re renting)
• Contacting your utility suppliers
• Getting quotes on your removal costs
• Having a big clear out before you move
• Making a list of where everything is in your new home
• Packing and labelling boxes
• Paying for bills
• Letting family and friends know you’re moving
• Moving day essentials
• Moving into your new home

 

Which? Moving House Checklist

Which? has developed a free downloadable Moving House Checklist to help you get prepared to move home ahead of time.

Visit Which.co.uk for more information and advice about:

• Organisations and companies to contact
• Redirecting your mail and calls
• When to start packing
• Choosing a removals company
• Preparing your old home for the new owner
• Hire a trader or head to a DIY shop?
• What do I need to do after I've moved?

 

National Energy Action Moving Home Checklist

National Energy Action has developed a moving home checklist to make sure your energy bill is accurate when you move home.

Visit nea.org.uk to download the Moving Home Checklist

 

Packing and preparing to move house

Which? has developed a step by step guide to making moving home as stress free as possible, including:

• Decluttering
• Planning where furniture will go
• Deciding whether to use a removals company
• Identifying your valuables and breakables
• Pack your boxes
• Notifying companies of your move

 

How to choose a removals company

Which? provide information on how to choose the best removals company plus tips on moving home as smoothly as possible.

Visit Which.co.uk for information about:

• Hiring a removals company vs moving house yourself
• How to choose the best removals company near you
• How much does it cost to use a removals company?
• Getting quotes from removals companies
• Briefing a removals company
• Removals insurance

 

Find a professional moving company

If you are moving home in the UK or abroad or looking for a company to help your business relocate, you can choose a mover who is a Member of the British Association of Removers (BAR).

Customer benefits when using a BAR Member:

• Trading Standards approved
• Payment protection for home moves
• Free independent ombudsman service

Visit bar.co.uk to Find a professional moving company

 

The Removals Ombudsman

The Removals Industry Ombudsman Scheme has been established to provide both domestic and commercial customers of participating members with an independent service to resolve disputes, if the remover's own complaints procedure fails.

Visit removalsombudsman.co.uk for more information about Making a Complaint or to Find a Remover

 

Age UK Lincoln and South Lincolnshire – Removals ‘Your Home Your Way’ service

Age UK Lincoln and South Lincolnshire’s Removals ‘Your Home Your Way’ service can provide support with moving home, including:

• Packing and transporting
• Downsizing
• Moving into supported living
• Full or partial house clearance
• Deep cleaning
• Sorting and donating items
• Making room for extra care facilities

Visit www.ageuk.org.uk for more information about the support available when Moving Home

 

Royal Mail postal redirection service

Royal Mail provide a postal redirection service to make sure that you continue to receive your mail when you move home and make sure you don’t miss important documents. Redirecting your post also helps to protect your personal information so that it does not fall into the wrong hands or you become a victim of fraud.

You can redirect your mail to your new address for 3, 6 or 12 months. Royal mail offer concession prices for customers on Universal Credit or Pension Credit.

To set up a redirection you will need the names and dates of birth of everyone in the home that needs their mail redirecting, and the address and postcode of both your old and new address. You can set up your redirection online on the Royal Mail website.

Visit Royalmail.com for more information about redirecting post.

 

End Furniture Poverty

End Furniture Poverty does not provide furniture or grants for furniture and white goods, but can help direct you to the right source of support for you. If you are on a low-income and unable to afford furniture and white goods, there are a number of ways in which you can get help.

Visit endfurniturepoverty.org for more information about how to get help with furniture.

 

British Heart Foundation - Free furniture collection

If you are thinking about moving home or downsizing, and have more furniture than you need, you could consider donating your furniture. The British Heart Foundation can pick up furniture and electrical items from you home for free. The items you donate are then sold in British Heart Foundations stores to help fund their lifesaving research.

Visit bhf.org.uk to find out if you can Book a free collection

 

Fair for you

Fair for you is a not-for-profit lending company that provides finance to low-income families who do not have access to mainstream credit. Fair for you offer flexible, affordable loans to purchase household essentials directly from the manufacturer, including:

• Appliances
• Home and furniture
• Garden & outdoor
• Technology

Visit the Fair for you website for more information.

 

Universal Credit

If you receive Universal Credit you may be able to get other payments too.

You might be able to get:

• a cheaper ‘social tariff’ for broadband or mobile phone services
• a Cold Weather Payment
• Disabled Facilities Grants
• Discretionary Housing Payments if your Universal Credit payment is not enough to pay your rent
• Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
• a reduction in your Council Tax
• WaterSure to cap your bills if you have a water meter
• a discount on the Royal Mail redirection service if you’re moving house

You can get advice on reducing your energy bills from:

• Energy Saving Trust in England and Wales
• Home Energy Scotland in Scotland
• Bryson Energy in Northern Ireland

Visit Gov.uk for more information about Universal Credit and other financial support.

 

Budgeting Loans

A Budgeting Loan can help pay for:

• furniture or household items (for example, washing machines or other ‘white goods’)
• rent in advance
• costs linked to moving house
• maintenance, improvements or security for your home
• repaying loans taken for the above items

You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan if you’ve been on certain benefits for 6 months.

You only have to pay back the amount you borrow, and repayments are taken automatically from your benefits.

Visit Gov.uk for more information about Budgeting Loans and what you could get.