Disabled Facilities Grant
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a means tested grant where money can be awarded to help people who want to remain in their own homes but require adaptations to access their property safely.
The Disabled Facilities Grant can used on privately owned properties, rented properties or Housing Association properties.
Examples of the major adaptations we can help with are:
- Level access showers
- Stairlifts
- Hoists
- Ramps
- Through floor lifts
- Level threshold doors
- Automatic doors
- Dropped kerbs/hardstanding's
- Door widening
The DFG covers works between £1,000 and £30,000 for those who qualify. When you apply for a DFG, one of our caseworkers will help you complete a financial assessment to determine if you are eligible for a grant.
If you are living in a Housing Association property, permission for work to be carried out will be required from the Housing Association prior to being placed on our waiting list. We or your occupational therapist will obtain this on your behalf.
We can also assist with home adaptations for people being discharged from the hospital through the Discharge to Assess (D2A) program, which promotes quicker hospital discharges by completing necessary changes to your home.
How to apply for the Disabled Facilities Grant?
To apply for a DFG, an Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment is needed
To request an assessment:
Once the assessment has been completed and a need for a major adaption to your home is found, your occupational therapist will complete a referral to the relevant department depending on the district/property.
What happens once we receive a referral?
Our experienced team of caseworkers, technical officers and staff will help you get the right adaptations to your home to meet your needs.
We can help you by:
- Advising you on your eligibility and completing any forms for a DFG application.
- Applying for grants.
- Getting quotes from our approved and experienced contractors.
- Checking tenders, and appointing a contractor.
- Planning and building control applications.
- Project managing works from start to finish.
- Ensuring the work is completed to your satisfaction.
We will charge a 15% fee for the work we do on your behalf. This will be calculated on the cost of works and will be subject to VAT. There is no additional charge to you as the cost is taken directly from the grant. We can provide further details of what this cost is likely to be once we know more about the work you require.
When we receive your referral, we will create a casefile for you, and you'll receive your own unique reference code, along with a preliminary means test to fill in. Please quote the reference code whenever you contact the us, as this will allow us to easily assist with any questions you have. Once your casefile is created you are automatically placed on our waiting list to be allocated to a caseworker who will support you with the DFG application and any work on your home that is carried out as a result.
What is the DFG means test?
The means test considers income, savings, benefits, and age. It applies to individuals and couples, so if you live with a partner, we'll assess both incomes to determine your eligibility.
There may not be a need for us to complete a financial assessment in all cases, but we will still need to complete the initial paperwork with you.
Once the means test is completed there are three potential outcomes:
- Eligible
- Eligible with a contribution from you (the amount will vary depending on the result of the means test). In this instance, you will need to pay your contribution before we assign a technical officer.
- Exceeds the grant amount (this means that your assessed contribution exceeds the estimated cost of works)
A means test might not be needed if:
- It's for a child under 18
- If you're receiving a means-tested benefit like Universal Credit or Housing Benefit. We'll need evidence of these benefits before processing your application, and the DFG paperwork will still be required.
If you own your own property and receive a DFG over £5,000, a condition of the grant will require a proportional repayment of the grant in some circumstances. In these cases, we will register a local land charge against your property for the repayment. If this is applicable, your caseworker will explain the process to you.
Who does what?
Your caseworker
- Will complete the means test to determine if you are eligible for a grant
- Complete the DFG paperwork to allow us to apply for the grant on your behalf.
- If you require a stairlift or a hoist, the caseworker will obtain quotes and place the order for it to be installed. If any other works are required, they will place you on the waiting list for a technical officer.
Technical officer
- Will visit your home to measure and complete the drawings and designs for the works.
- Complete a schedule and send it out to tender with our contactor.
- Complete a tender analysis and award the contract.
- Arrange a pre-start meeting between you and the contractor.
- Oversee the works.
- Complete a sign off.