What is a Disabled Facilities Grant?
This short video explains:
- about the grant
- what types of adaptations it can help fund
- how to apply
- who's eligibile
- about assessments
A Disabled Facilities Grant can help provide safe access into and around the home. You may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant to help with the cost of making adaptations to your home – depending on your situation, including your financial circumstances.
Grants cannot be awarded for works already carried out and therefore where you are seeking a DFG you will need to wait for the official DFG approval notice before commencing the works.
The maximum grant available to individuals is £30,000.
Typical adaptations would include:
- access in to and out of the home (for example a wheelchair ramp)
- access to bathroom/ toilet, bath or shower or wash basin
- provision of facilities for preparing and cooking food
- adaptations to bathrooms
- ceiling hoists
- stair lifts
- other types of appropriate adaptations will also be considered
Foundations is the National Body for Disabled Facilities Grant and Home Improvement Agencies in England. They provide an on-line assessment tool called AdaptMyHome that checks how well your home supports your needs, and helps you to decide whether you could continue living in your current home with adaptations to help you stay safe and independent, or what type of accommodation would suit you best should you wish to consider moving to more suitable accommodation.
If you decide to continue living in your current home then AdaptMyHome will assess whether you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant including the option to carry out a Preliminary Means Test (PMT) to check how much of a contribution (if any) you may need to make towards the cost of works. Once you have completed the PMT it provides a link to click on to send your assessment details to the Occupational Therapy Team at the council who will then arrange for an assessment of clinical needs to be carried out. This assessment of need may lead to your needs being met through provision of equipment or minor works, however, if major adaptations are required then they will forward a referral for a Disabled Facilities Grant to Housing Services at the council.