Disabled Facilities Grants

If you are disabled and are intending to adapt your home for easier access then you could be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Typical home improvements that can be made using a DFG include bathroom or kitchen alterations.

Who can get a DFG

In order to get a DFG you must be…

  • an owner occupier
  • a private tenant
  • a landlord with a disabled tenant
  • a local authority tenant
  • a housing association tenant

If you are one of the above criteria and are applying on behalf of a disabled person you must state this on the application form.

Basic Eligibility Criteria

Payments are discretionary and are awarded by your local council, so contact them for an application form. It is advisable to not make any changes until you have submitted a formal application.

The money will either be paid in full at the end or in instalments as the work progresses.

How much will I get?

The maximum amounts available are shown below…

  • England – £30,000
  • Wales – £36,000
  • Northern Ireland – £25,000

Scotland does not have a DFG scheme but does offer similar support – see the Scottish Goverments’s page on independent living.

The amount that is awarded will depend on your level of income and any savings you may have. The first £6,000 of savings are ignored. After that there is what is know as a test limit whereby if your savings and income are below this level, you will not have to make a contribution towards the renovations. However if your combined savings and income are more than the test limit, the you will be liable to make a financial contribution. However – this does not apply if the renovations are for someone aged under 19 for whom child benefit is payable.

Could my DFG application be refused?

Although an award is mandatory (in that if you qualify you are legally entitled to it) a grant is only given if the Housing Authority are 100% satisfied that the works are “necessary and appropriate” for the disabled person living in the property and “reasonable and practicable” in relation to the property itself. In order to confirm these two sets of criteria, your case will usually be assessed first by an occupational therapist.