Moving into a home without carpets can make it feel cold, empty and hard to settle into. To help address this, Chippenham Borough Lands Charity has launched a new Carpet Grant Pilot Scheme in partnership with GreenSquareAccord.
It is common practice in social housing for properties to be let unfurnished and without flooring. This disproportionally affects people facing difficult circumstances, including those on low income, people moving on from homelessness or temporary accommodation, care leavers and those fleeing domestic violence, who may have little means to afford new flooring themselves.
The impact goes beyond comfort. Without carpets, homes can be hard to heat, noisier and more difficult to settle into. Flooring plays a practical role in insulation, helping retain heat and reduce energy costs. \
A lack of flooring can also contribute to damp and mould, increase noise in flats and create safety risks for young children, older people and residents with disabilities. Carpeted homes are warmer, safer and quieter with measurable benefits for both physical and mental wellbeing.
CBLC identified this gap locally and approached GreenSquareAccord to develop a joint response. The Chippenham Carpet Grant pilot will fund carpet, underlay and fitting in one room (living room), helping tenants create a warmer and more comfortable home.
This is a jointly funded scheme, with CBLC and GreenSquareAccord contributing a combined £10,000. We expect to support around 20 to 25 households during the current financial year.
CBLC is leading on delivery and managing applications through our usual processes for individual applicants. GreenSquareAccord will help identify eligible tenants and ensure those who may benefit know the support is available.
“We’re delighted to partner with GreenSquareAccord on this pilot, helping families create warmer, more comfortable homes and making a practical difference to people in Chippenham this winter.”
CBLC CEO Beth Gardner
Jon Dickin, director of homes and communities at GSA, said:
“We are delighted to be working with Chippenham Borough Lands Charity to provide additional support to our customers. This initiative builds on our strong local partnership and will help create warmer, more comfortable homes for those who need it most.
To date, three of our customers have already benefited from the scheme, and we hope many more will do so. By helping residents settle into their homes, this pilot will make a real difference to local households.”
To be eligible, applicants must be GreenSquareAccord tenants who meet CBLC’s individual grant criteria and are moving into a property without carpets or have moved into one within the last three months.
Applications should be made through CBLC’s Grants for Individuals programme – there is no separate process for this pilot. Drop-in support sessions are also available for anyone who needs help completing an application.
CBLC is working with local family-run business, Carpet Barn Wiltshire to supply and fit the carpet. The flooring company have been serving customers in Chippenham since 1987, specialising in the supply and fitting of carpets and vinyl flooring.
This is a pilot scheme and will be reviewed at the end of the financial year to assess its impact and inform future provision. For more information please visit: https://cblc.org.uk/cblc-carpet-grant-pilot-scheme/
