Home adaptations – Disabled Facilities Grants

Overview

If you or a person living with you has a disability and your home needs to be adapted to enable you / them to continue living there, you may qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG).

Owner-occupiers, landlords and a range of tenants can apply for a DFG. You can apply if you are the disabled person, the landlord of a disabled person, or someone living with a disabled person.

What works can be carried out?

The proposed works must be necessary and appropriate to meet the needs of the person with the disability, based on the assessment by the Occupational Therapist, and also be considered reasonable and practicable by the Council.

Works could include:

• making it easier to
  • get in to and out of your home
  • get to your bedroom, bathroom, living room and kitchen
  • use the toilet, bath or shower
  • prepare and cook food
  • get around your home to help you care for another person
  • get in and out of your garden.
• improving or installing a suitable heating system
• helping you control lighting, power and heating
• making your home safe for you and other people who live in it

Where the existing footprint or layout of your home (including outbuildings and garages) can be adapted or converted to accommodate the facilities required, the Council will not consider an extension to the property.

Where the applicant has a preference for works that are over and above those necessary to meet the needs of the disabled person, the Council will only fund the cost of the original recommended works.

Am I eligible for a grant?

The DFG must be for a person who is registered, or could be registered, as a disabled person. The disability can be caused by physical illness or injury, a major sight, hearing, speech, or mental-health problem, or a learning disability.

The need for the adaptation is determined by one of our occupational therapists, who will advise us what works are considered necessary and appropriate.  The Council will only act on recommendations made by an Occupational Therapist.

How much might be awarded through the DFG?

To make sure that the DFG goes to the people who need help the most, the level of grant is decided by a means test which looks at the income and savings of the disabled person and their spouse or partner. You may have to make a contribution towards the cost of any works that are covered by the grant.

If you receive of one of the following benefits, you would normally qualify for a 100% grant:

• Income Support
• Universal Credit
• Income-based Employment Support Allowance
• Housing Benefit
• Guaranteed Pension Credit (not Savings Credit)
• Income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• Working Tax Credit, with an annual income of less than £15,050
• Child Tax Credit, with an annual income of less than £15,050

For more guidance and to self-check your eligibility, visit the Foundations website - Means test calculator.

If the DFG is for a child under age 19, and you receive Child Benefit for that child, you will not need to make any contribution.

The amount of grant payable depends on the cost of the work and the results of your means test (unless the grant is for a child).  The maximum grant is £30,000.  The Council does not offer discretionary DFG’s. Any amount above the statutory maximum level must be paid for by the applicant.

If the cost of the works is less than £30,000 and we have assessed and told you that you will need to make a contribution to the cost, the amount of grant will be the cost of the works less your contribution.

Please note: you may qualify for a grant only when a recommendation has been made by one of our occupational therapist. If you start work before we have approved your application, we won’t be able to award the grant.

How do I apply?

An application for a grant begins with an assessment of your needs by an occupational therapist.

To arrange for an assessment to be carried out, contact either:

• Adult Social Care on 01332 640777 - if the adaptation is for an adult over age 18
• the Lighthouse Disabled Children’s team on 01332 256990 - if the adaptation is for a child under age 19 for whom you are receiving Child Benefit.

If the occupational therapist decides that adaptations are required, they will then forward recommendations to us and we will send you the necessary paperwork to complete in order to apply. Once you have completed your initial enquiry form, we will write to you to let you know whether you are likely to receive any grant aid.

Are there conditions attached to the DFG?

If the DFG is for an extension to your home, the Council will put a local land charge on the property of up to £10,000. The local charge will last for ten years.  

This means that, if you sold your home within ten years of the grant completion date, you would have to pay back the full amount of the registered land charge with no interest.