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).

A discretionary top-up grant of up to a maximum of £25,000 may be available on schemes that exceed the statutory £30,000 grant limit.

A discretionary interest-free top-up loan may be available to owners/occupiers for schemes that exceed the maximum total grant amount of £55,000. The loan would be secured against the property and would not require regular repayments. The maximum potential loan amount is £30,000.

Should your property be deemed unadaptable, a discretionary moving grant may be available to assist you to move to a more suitable property. This is capped up to a maximum of £7,500.

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.

A discretionary grant may be available to cover up to the first £5,000 of any assessed contribution as a result of the means test.

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.

Discretionary assistance

All discretionary assistance available alongside the DFG and outlined above is covered within Bexley’s Housing Assistance Policy. All discretionary assistance is subject to budget availability and, as such, may be withdrawn by the Council without notice at any point within any given financial year.

Full details about disabled facilities grant can be found in our Housing Assistance Policy (PDF).

Please note that due to budget limitations, discretionary assistance in support of the DFG, as set out in Housing Assistance Policy (PDF), is currently suspended for the remainder of the 2023/24 financial year. Mandatory DFG’s will continue as per statutory guidelines.

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.