The Dorset Home Service

The Dorset Home Service can also help people to access funding for works to their homes and to maximise their income through benefits. The service is a small, locally based organisation commissioned by a partnership led by Dorset County Council and is not set up to make profits.

If you want help to arrange the repair, improvement, maintenance or adaptation of your home or help to apply for grants or loans, The Dorset Home Service specialises in providing this help to the over 50s or the disabled.

The  Dorset Home Service (pdf, 229kb) (opens in a new window) leaflet provides more information on the services available.

The Dorset Home Service may be able to assist you:

• Decide exactly what work should be done to your home and prepare drawings and schedules of work. Typical jobs include, insulation improvements, disabled adaptations, roofing, replacement windows, damp proofing and rewiring
• Obtain prices, advise you on reliable contractors and inspection of the works on site
• Get information on the different ways of paying for the work, including grants from your council, home insulation grants and charitable assistance etc.
• By providing advice on help available from social security benefits

However if you choose not to use these services, the Dorset Home Service may be able to put you in touch with the right people for your needs.

The Dorset Home Service also provides a range of other services including:

• Handy Van Services

  It can be very difficult to get small repairs and improvements carried out at a reasonable cost by a reliable contractor. The Dorset Home Service operates a service that does just that. The operators are all CRB checked, are reliable and low cost.

• Housing Options Service

  We recognise that for a proportion of older people 'staying-put' in their own home no longer represents the best option for them. However, the idea of having to even consider the options that might be available can be very daunting and often that alone puts people off at the start.

• How to contact The Dorset Home Service

  There are three different offices in Dorset and the one you should contact depends on which district or borough council area you are in.