Leverage Fund reopened for community projects

Dorset Council has reopened the Capital Leverage Fund for applications for projects providing new and improved facilities for residents.

The grants can help towards the cost of community building enhancements, renovations, maintenance, or new build projects, including car parks, play areas, MUGAS, pitches, and landscaping.

Voluntary and community sector organisations with an annual turnover of less than £1million can apply, as well as museums, arts organisations, community centres, village halls, town and parish councils and youth centres. Applications are also welcome for projects that help to address climate change themes, new public art, or heritage capital projects including accredited museums. You can apply for a capital grant of between £1,000 and £25,000, to fund up to 20% of your total project costs.

Projects need to meet one of the Dorset Council priorities and at least one of the Cultural Strategy priorities. Applications can only be accepted at dorsetcouncil. gov.uk (search for Capital Leverage Fund).

As an example, let’s say you own a home jointly with your partner and you live there until one of you dies. The surviving partner continues to live in the house until they must go into a care home run by the local authority. At that point, the local authority will assess the surviving partner for care fees. If their capital and savings are worth more than £23,250, they will have to fund their own care.

Councils place a charge on the property, which is paid when the house is sold. Alternatively, you may be required to sell the house immediately to raise the cash. Money raised from the sale of the house will fund your care until your savings get down to £23,250. That won’t

The second is a living trust which shields 100% of the property. Both are relatively inexpensive to put into place. Every trust is administered by trustees, the trustees can be the partners or surviving partner and children. (Living trusts also provide protection for beneficiaries with regards to divorce / remarriage, creditors and side-line inheritance.) The situation won’t get better over time. The UK’s fastestgrowing age group comprises those aged over 85. Councils will face even more pressure on budgets, leaving them with little choice but to continue to sell people’s homes. To protect your home, contact Oakwood Wills on 07832 331594.