Disabled Facilities Grants

If you or someone living with you is disabled, you may qualify for a disabled facilities grant.

These grants are available to help make the homes of disabled people more suitable for them to live in, and to help them manage more independently.

If you (or someone living with you) is disabled, you may qualify for a disabled facilities grant. These grants are available to help make the homes of disabled people more suitable for them to live in, and to help them manage more independently.

If you own your own home, or if you rent it from a private landlord or housing association, you can apply for a disabled facilities grant. Private landlords can also apply on behalf of their tenants.

Anyone who does apply will have to sign a certificate confirming that for the next five years (the grant condition period), it is the intention for the disabled person to continue to live in that same property. In other words we need to know that, for the foreseeable future, the property to be adapted will be the disabled person's only or main home.

Anyone with a disability who lives or is moving into the district can apply for a disabled facilities grant. The parents or guardian of a disabled person can also apply on their behalf.

To make sure that help goes to the people in greatest need, the amount of grant you receive is decided after your own financial resources have been taken into account. This test of financial resources is the way we work out how much, if anything, you should pay towards the proposed adaptations.

However you may not have to make any contribution if you are on certain benefits; if the adaptation is for a child; or if the cost of works (including fees) is below £6,000.

The types of work covered

A disabled facilities grant can be used for any work which:

makes it easier for you to get in and out of your home

makes access to your living room, bedroom, kitchen or bathroom easier

provides suitable bathroom, sleeping and kitchen facilities that meet your needs

adapts heating and lighting controls for ease of use

helps you care for a disabled person living with you

makes your home safer

Availability

The amount of grant you get is decided on an individual basis. You will receive the difference between the total cost of the adaptations the grant covers, and the contribution (if anything) that you will be making.

The maximum grant is £30,000. Some large ground floor bathrooms and bedrooms extensions do cost more; the council has the discretion to pay in excess of £30,000. Each case is assessed on its own merit and where there are genuine issues of hardship or inability to fund these works an additional sum may be agreed.