Disabled Facilities Grants

A Disabled Facilities Grant is a form of financial help (of up to £30,000) available from the council. It can be used to pay for adaptations to give disabled people better freedom of movement into and around their homes, and access to essential facilities within the home.

The grant is available to private tenants, housing association tenants and home owners. You can find information about eligibility for Disabled Facilities Grants on GOV.UK.

The types of adaptations that could be funded by the grant include:

• level access showers
• access ramps
• stair lifts
• through floor lifts
• kitchen adaptations
• specialist equipment

When you apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, an Occupational Therapist will carry out an assessment of your current housing situation and your medical needs. They will recommend the types of adaptations required. The Occupational Therapist will need to be satisfied that any works recommended are 'necessary and appropriate' to meet your needs.

Financial assessment

Disabled Facilities Grants are also subject to a financial assessment (known as a 'means test'). The assessment will find out if you will need to contribute towards the cost of the adaptation works. You may be entitled to full grant funding if you receive certain means-tested benefits. The Home Improvement Agency can do a preliminary test of resources to give you an indication of the level of contribution you will be expected to make.

Disabled Facilities Grants for children or qualifying young people are not subject to a means-test and will therefore be passported to full grant funding up to the maximum limit of £30,000.

Grant conditions

There are certain conditions that apply to a Disabled Facilities Grant. The main condition is that you must intend to occupy the property for a minimum of 5 years. If you are on the housing register and want to move, you only have a short term tenancy or your house is for sale on the open market, you will not meet this condition.

Grants cannot be awarded for works that have already been started or completed.
 

Local land charges and repayment

If you own your own property and you receive a Disabled Facilities Grant over £5,000, the council will place a 'local land charge' on the adapted property. The 'local land charge' will be the amount of funding over £5,000, up to a maximum charge of £10,000.

For example:

• If the total grant is under £5,000, no local land charge will be applied
• if the total grant is for £8,000, a local land charge of £3,000 will be placed on the adapted property
• if the total grants is in excess of £15,000, a local land charge of £10,000 will be placed on the adapted property

If you then 'dispose' of the property (whether by sale, assignment, or transfer) within ten years, the council may ask you to pay back the local land charge amount.

Apply for a grant

To apply for a grant, you will need to have an occupational therapist assessment. To arrange this, contact the Adult Social Care team. Or, for children, see the Children with Disabilities Team webpage.

What happens next

When your occupational therapist has prepared the recommendations, the Home Improvement Agency will consider if the recommended work is 'reasonable and practicable'.

Depending on the recommended works, the application process can be complex. Whilst you can prepare your own grant application, we recommend that you get support. Whether you are a housing association tenant, own your own home, or you're a private tenant, the Home Improvement Agency Team can support you with all aspects of completing your application. This can include applying for planning permission, preparing technical drawings, tendering for quotes, finding a contractor and overseeing the works until completion.

When we receive your fully completed application, we will aim to approve your application within six weeks. This is subject to available funding. If your application approval is likely to be delayed because of limited funding, we will let you know. In any case, a decision will be made on your application within six months.

All approved works must be completed within twelve months of the grant being approved.
 

Payment

The contractors providing your adaptations will be paid directly by the Home Improvement Agency Team, when the works have been certified. If you are required to make a financial contribution, you will need to pay this money to the council before work can start.