We do the jobs no-one else will, says handyman

A handyperson from a service that has lost county council funding said the team did jobs for elderly and disabled people that no-one else would.

Handyperson Services is delivered by Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough and helps about 2,000 households a year in the county to do jobs such as fitting grab rails to prevent falls and key safes for carers.

Cambridgeshire County Council said not renewing the service's contract would save it £88,000 annually and suggested other firms and advice groups - such as Trust a Trader - could be used instead.

Handyperson Roger Hewish, 72, said builders "wouldn't be able to charge you enough money to make it worthwhile" for them.

The council said it "had to make a number of difficult decisions" and had reviewed services it was not legally obliged to provide.

"We fully recognise that the handyperson service has provided valuable support to some residents, and we do not take this decision lightly. However, we have decided that we will not be renewing the current contract," the council said.

Handyperson Services costs about £163,000 a year in total, which includes the money that district councils contribute.

Melanie Pittock, the charity's chief executive, said it was "going to do everything in our power to keep the service going".

Hewish, who has been with the service for nearly four years, said jobs can range from adjusting cupboards and fitting shelves to adjusting toilet seats and checking for hazards.

Hewish said he took a "holistic approach" to helping service users and has referred people to council services over issues such as hoarding, and checks on people's physical and mental health.

"It's too small a job for a builder, they wouldn't do it and they wouldn't be able to charge you enough money to make it worthwhile. We don't charge for fitting a replacement light bulb," he said.

"Who you going get to do that? I mean, no-one.

"If you come to us, Age UK, we're a trusted name everybody knows us and trust us to do the job so people are more happy with us coming into their home."

He said the reactions of clients were "very heartwarming", adding: "We're the only people you can come to that do everything and our premise of keeping people safe and secure in their own homes - it keeps people out of hospitals."

Hewish fitted grab rails at the home of 81-year-old Eileen Eeles, who said she was unable to move around without a frame.

"I can't get out at the moment. When the ambulance people come they have to bring the wheelchair to the doorstep and then they both have to help me down because there's nothing to hold onto to get out, because they're quite steep my steps," she said.

"That would be great to have handrails, so I can be a bit more independent."

A Cambridgeshire County Council spokesperson said the service would not end immediately and "to enable a safe" transition it proposed running it into the 2026-27 financial year.

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