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Disabled Facilities Grants

If you are having difficulty living at home because of a disability, we may be able to help you to carry out essential adaptations so that you can continue to live independently. This work can be funded by a disabled facilities grant. You can apply for it if you own your own home, rent or live with your family.

What is a disabled facilities grant (DFG)?

We provide grants, up to the sum of £30,000 per applicant, to help disabled people in private sector housing to carry out essential adaptations to their homes so that they can live more independently. This is a mandatory grant for work considered necessary by an occupational therapist (OT). Work includes installing stairlifts, providing a level access shower in place of a bath and ensuring homes are wheelchair accessible. It can include extending your home if there are no other ways of getting access to essential facilities.

Who can apply?

Homeowners, housing association tenants and private tenants can apply. Landlords can also apply for an occupant who is registered disabled or eligible to register as disabled. We will make an assessment to see if the works are practical and will provide the most effective long-term solution. In exceptional cases, if your home is not suitable for adaptation and, with your agreement, we may decide it is best to help you to move to a more suitable accommodation. If you are a Council tenant and would like to apply for housing adaptations to meet your needs, please contact us on 01329 236100 or e-mail customerservicecentre@fareham.gov.uk for further information.

How do you apply for a grant?

In the first instance, apply to Occupational Therapy Direct by phoning 0300 555 1378 (Monday to Thursday 8.30am to 5pm and Fridays 8.30am to 4.30pm) or completing an online referral at https://www.hants.gov.uk/socialcareandhealth/adultsocialcare/contact/start-a-referral External Hyperlink . They will arrange for an occupational therapist (OT) to visit you to assess your needs.

How much grant will you receive?

This is usually based on a financial assessment (a "means test") , and you will be told how much your grant will be and whether you will need to contribute towards the work before you decide to go ahead. However, don't be discouraged from applying, as people with significant savings can often be eligible for a grant towards work. Grants to benefit a disabled child or qualifying young person (aged 18 years or younger) or if you receive an income related benefit or if you receive working tax credit and child tax credit and have an income less than £15,460, you will then be exempt from a financial assessment.

What if you can't afford your contribution?

Other sources of funding may be available from charitable organisations. The Home Improvement Agency (see below) may be to help you with this.

Will it affect other benefits?

A disabled facilities grant will not affect any benefits you are receiving.

What kinds of work can you get a grant for?

Disabled facilities grants will be considered for a range of categories of work:

improving access to your home and garden
providing appropriate access within a home to the main family room, bedroom, lavatory, bathroom /shower room and kitchen
providing construction (or buying a portable extension) to form an accessible bedroom and or shower-room
making a home safe (this may include adaptations to minimize the risk of danger if someone has behavioural problems which cause them to act in a manner that could result in damage to the building, themselves or other people)
providing an enhanced alarm system for people with hearing difficulties.
providing or improving an existing heating system where the wellbeing and mobility of a disabled person would otherwise be adversely affected
enabling a disabled person to have full use of heating, lighting and power controls (including relocating power points to make them more accessible, providing adapted controls and installing more controls)
providing help to get to common parts of buildings containing flats where a disabled person is an occupant.
funding to help a disabled person to move home (if this is a more appropriate solution to adapting an existing home).

Can you obtain help to guide you through the process?

Many applicants find the prospect of arranging DFG works daunting so use a local home improvement agency to act on their behalf through the process. Fareham Borough Council works in partnership with Portsmouth City Council and you are able to use their Home Improvement Agency service (HIAS) in connection with your grant. Fees incurred in employing the Portsmouth HIAS to act on your behalf will be added to the overall grant. Agency staff will guide you through the decision-making process, help to organise finance, arrange and oversee building work and other technical matters. It will keep you fully informed and consulted on work being done. You can see a summary of grant conditions for owners PDF (870 KB) or a summary of grant conditions for Tenants PDF (884 KB).