The Welsh Assembly has announced that it is making £4.7 million of funding available to help older and disabled people stay living in their own homes for longer.  The funds will be given to Care and Repair agencies across Wales, which work to provide people with the support they need to live independently, such as repairs and adaptations to the home.  As well as practical help, Care and Repair also offers advice about housing funding and gives assistance with arranging, overseeing and inspecting building works.  The £4.7 million of funding is almost 10% more than the previous year’s allocation, showing the Welsh government’s commitment to enabling more people to have a better quality of life in their own homes.  Minister Gwenda Thomas comments: ‘The Welsh Assembly Government is committed to improving the lives of older people by ensuring that the older generation live independently for as long as they choose…Through this investment more people can be supported to stay at home, where they would wish to be…The funding also helps older people return to their own homes sooner after spending time in hospital.’