The disabled facilities grant is available for a range of work that will help a disabled person remain in their home.

This work can include:

• converting existing bathrooms into wet rooms
• adapting kitchens to suit the needs of the applicant
• installing ramps to the front and/or rear of the property
• installing a stairlift to improve access to a bathroom, kitchen or bedroom
• installing ceiling track hoists to assist with transfers
• installing a downstairs bathroom
• installing a heating system suitable for the disabled person

We will make an appointment to visit you to discuss whether you want to move to a more suitable property or to stay where you are and to have the home adapted.

You can apply for the grant if you are a:

• tenant or owner of a property
• a landlord on behalf of a disabled tenant

If you qualify we will pay for the cost of the adaptions needed to your home up to a maximum of £30,000 inclusive of all fees, planning costs and VAT (where applicable).

An interest-free top-up loan may be available to owner/occupiers for schemes that exceed £30,000. The loan would be secured against the property and would not require regular repayments.

Alternatively, instead of adapting the home, you can take the grant that you would have received if you had stayed in the property and use this to move to a more suitable property, this is capped up to a maximum of £20,000.

Means testing

The grant is means-tested to ensure that those in the most need get the most help and takes into account:

• a person's average weekly or monthly income including pensions and certain benefit payments
• any savings above a set amount

You will be asked to complete a financial assessment form and the level of grant you may receive will be based on the information you provide.

Please note that for adaptations for children with disabilities, the means-testing requirement does not apply.

Your application will be assessed on whether the proposed adaptations are:

• necessary
• appropriate
• reasonable
• practical
• possible

We can refuse the request if the scheme does not meet these criteria.

An occupational therapist will visit you to assess your needs and if adaptations are considered necessary make a written report detailing your disability needs so a decision can be made about whether adaptations can be made to make your home suitable to meet your needs. You will be fully consulted on any recommendations made and can use funding agreed by the Council for the scheme it proposes towards your own scheme provided it fully meets the needs of the disabled person. If you agree with the recommendation you can apply for a disabled facilities grant.

As well as administering the disabled facilities grant, the Grants team can also assist you by:

• drawing up detailed specifications or plans for disabled adaptations
• liaise with Building Control and Planning on your behalf as required
• tender the works to reputable builders from our regularly reviewed contractors list
• monitor the work on-site through to completion to ensure a good standard of workmanship

While there is a fee for this service, the fee can normally be included within any grant or loan.