Apply for disabled facilities grant

The grant is available to help disabled people fund essential housing adaptions and the associated costs.

Disabled Facilities Grants are a national programme to help with the cost of paying for essential housing adaptions that enable disabled people and people living with chronic health conditions to stay in their homes. Grants of up to £30,000 are available.

Watch a video summarising what you need to know about Disabled Facilities Grants.

Eligibility

The applicant must be either the owner or a tenant of the property adapted, which must be where the disabled person lives as their only or main home. They must also intend to live there for the next five years. Tenants of housing associations and private tenants will need their landlord's consent to apply. Residents of caravans and mobile homes may be eligible.

You may need to adapt your home if you or a family member:

• are physically disabled
• are autistic or have a learning disability
• have a sensory impairment
• have a mental health condition
• have a cognitive impairment
• have a terminal illness

The adaption must be recommended by a trusted assessor who considers it necessary and appropriate to meet the needs of the disabled person. It must also be reasonable and feasible to carry out the work considering the age and condition of the property. In some cases, it may be considered more appropriate to move to a more suitable and accessible property.

Using the grant

Some examples of work considered include:

• improving access to and from the property with ramps
• improving access to rooms by widening doors or installing lifts
• creating hard standings for improved vehicle access
• installing accessible toileting, showering, or kitchen facilities
• building an extension, for example, a downstairs bedroom
• adapting heating or lighting controls to make them more accessible

Use Adapt My Home to check whether you could benefit from an adaption.

Grants cannot be used to pay for minor adaptions costing £1,000 or less, such as installing grab rails or external galvanised rails. Social Services, the NHS, or your housing association may be able to arrange minor adaptions or provide disability living equipment free of charge. You could also buy or install this equipment privately. Visit our disability living equipment page for further information.

Financial means test

We will not carry out a financial means test if the application is for a child or young person under the age of 19, or for an adult who is in receipt of any of the income-related benefits listed below. 

• Child Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £15,050
• Council Tax Support (income-related)
• Employment and Support Allowance (income-related)
• Guaranteed Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit
• Income Support
• Jobseeker's Allowance (income-based)
• Universal Credit
• Working Tax Credit with an annual income of less than £15,050

We are required to carry out a financial means test for all other applicants.

How to apply

Social Services and NHS professionals who are already involved in the care of the disabled person may be able to refer you to our service.

Applications for children and young people aged under 19 must be made through Children's Services. To discuss their needs, call 0344 800 8020 and select option one, then option two for Children's Services.

Applications for adults can be made through Adult Social Care. To discuss their needs, call 0344 800 8020 and select option one, then option three for Adult Social Care.

We also accept self-referrals for disabled adults. Start an application by contacting us using our online form. 

Application process

We aim to respond to initial enquiries within five working days.

Applicants are placed on an assessment waiting list unless a financial means test is required. If a financial means test is required, this must be completed and verified before the application can be progressed.

Timescales can vary depending on the volume of applications, how soon applicants provide information requested, and the nature of scheduling building work. Depending on the type and nature of the adaption, you may also need to apply separately for planning permission and building regulations approval before the adaption work can start.

Grants cannot be awarded for work that has already been started, so it is important that you do not carry out work if you want a grant to pay towards it. We encourage applicants to apply as early as possible and we will consider the disabled person's future needs as part of our assessment.

Grant amount

The amount awarded depends on the approved cost of the adaption. We will tender the work to our contractors, and the lowest quotation that meets the specifications usually wins the tender. However, applicants may select a higher-value quotation from those we provide if they are willing to pay the difference. The amount awarded is reduced by any contribution determined to be payable under the financial means test, if applicable. The maximum grant available is £30,000, but applicants can pay to top-up the difference if costs exceed this.

Grant payment

We will make payment of any grant awarded directly to contractors once work is completed and we have checked that you are satisfied with the work.

Paying back the grant

If you are a homeowner, a local land charge for any amount over the first £5,000 will be placed on your property for a period of ten years. However, the charge will be limited to a maximum of £10,000.

You may be requested to repay this if the property is sold or transferred within that time.