If you or someone living in your property is disabled, you may qualify for a disabled facilities grant. This will help towards the cost of providing adaptations and facilities to enable the disabled person to continue to live there.
Your local social services department employs occupational therapists who can assess what adaptations you may need.
If you believe you may need an adaptation in your home you will need to contact Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190 to arrange an assessment of your needs.
The maximum amount a disabled facilities grant (DFG) can contribute towards a cost of any adaptation is £30,000. However, the actual amount a disabled facilities grant can contribute towards an adaptation depends on 2 things:
The cost of the proposed work necessary to meet your needs. The proposed work has to be 'necessary and appropriate, reasonable and practical'.
For adults, the outcome of a means test. This will take into account the income you receive and interest from savings you may have. This will then be used to work out the amount, if any, you have to contribute to the cost of the proposed works. For children and young people with disabilities under the age of 19 there is no means test, so the full cost of the adaptation (under £30,000) will be funded by the grant.
If you feel a Disabled Facilities Grant is required, your application will be forwarded to an occupational therapist who will then assess the level of need. If appropriate they will liaise with an architect for any planned adaptations.
If the house belongs to a local housing association it is advisable to contact them first as they may provide the adaptation or be able to offer alternative housing already adapted.
The householder or applicant will usually be expected to fund any shortfall if the work exceeds the level of grant allocated (or the £30,000 maximum).
Legal charge
This means that if the property adapted is sold within a certain time frame, a proportion of the grant will have to be repaid. District councils can now place a legal charge on all grants over £5,000. Please contact your district council for more details.
Equipment supplied by Adult Care or Children's Services
If necessary, the Adult Care or Children's Services department at the council will complete an assessment of your needs. They can then arrange with Derbyshire Integrated Equipment Services (ICES) to receive equipment on loan to help you with everyday living within the home.
Contact us
You can make a referral yourself for an occupational therapy assessment by phoning Call Derbyshire or Starting Point for children on 01629 533190. If you already have a social worker they can make the referral for you.