DISABLED and vulnerable people in South Lakeland are to benefit from a half-a-million pound fund to make adaptations to their homes.

South Lakeland District Council has committed £550,000 towards the cost of access showers, door widening, ramps, shower toilets and heating in 2019-20.

During 2017-18, a total of 80 people were helped in South Lakeland and over the next two years at least 160 are expected to benefit.

At a meeting in Kendal Town Hall, SLDC’s cabinet agreed to take part in the Cumbria-wide project for two more years.

Cllr Jonathan Brook, the cabinet member for housing and deputy leader of SLDC, said linking up with other councils represented good value for money.

Cllr Brook, the Liberal Democrat member for Kendal South and Natland, said: “As a council we have a statutory duty to provide disabled facilities and these adaptations to the homes of disabled people and vulnerable people enables them to live independently.

“That is something that is critical for us and people’s personal wellbeing. It keeps people in the community longer, which is what they wish to do.

“They don’t want to have to move away from the area where they live into other accommodation that has been adapted. This involves a number of councils working together and as a result, we are able to leverage better value.”

Cllr Dyan Jones, the Liberal Democrat cabinet member for the environment and Windermere, said: “This is a really excellent scheme. I know quite a lot of residents in my ward have benefited, and I fully support the extension.”

Cllr Mark Wilson, the Labour member for Ulverston East, said some people felt that the process to get adaptations made to their homes was “not easy”.

Cllr Brook said it was not always possible to deliver certain adaptations to certain properties, depending on the site.

Council leader Cllr Giles Archibald said it was a very important scheme.

“We want to do all we can for those people who are disabled and we welcome suggestions with how we can enhance our support,” said Cllr Archibald, the Liberal Democrat councillor for Kendal Town.

The report before the cabinet, which showed that a total of £661,000 is committed