Other organisations will provide
If you or someone you live with is disabled, you may be able to apply to your District Council for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to help with the cost of carrying out adaptations to your home to make life easier .
What type of adaptations can the grant pay for?
The grant can fund adaptations which:
- make it easier to get in to and out of your home and garden;
- make it easier to get to a bedroom, bathroom, living room, and kitchen;
- make it easier to use the toilet, bath or shower;
- make it easier to prepare and cook food;
- make it easier to get around your home to help you care for another person;
- help you control lighting, power and heating;
- help you to make your home safer for you ;
- improves or provides a suitable heating system.
The grant will cover costs to a certain ceiling, any costs above this will need to be met by yourself. Other funding sources can be discussed with your District Council.
Who can apply for a DFG?
To be eligible to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, you (or a person who lives with you) must be registered or be eligible to be registered as a disabled person.
Both home-owners and tenants can apply for a grant. If you are a tenant of Vale of Aylesbury Housing Trust or Red Kite Housing they may be able to arrange adaptations works for you (where these are recommended by an Occupational Therapist).
The Disabled Facilities Grant is means tested to assess how much (if anything) you can afford to pay towards the work. The means test does not apply where the adaptations are for a child or young person for whom child benefit is still received.
To find out whether you are likely to qualify financially for a grant, you can request an ‘informal’ financial assessment (normally referred to as a Test of Resources) from your District Council (see contact details below). People claiming certain mean-tested benefits will automatically qualify for a grant to cover the cost of the recommended works.
How do I apply?
Before giving a grant, your District Council will ask an Occupational Therapist to recommend which adaptations are necessary and appropriate to meet your needs. Therefore, the first step is to obtain an Occupational Therapy assessment.
To request an assessment, contact the Buckinghamshire County Council Occupational Therapy Service at:
Adult Services:
- Tel: 01296 383204
- Email: adultearlyhelpteam@buckscc.gov.uk
Children’s Social Care and Learning OT Teams:
- High Wycombe, Chiltern and South Bucks Districts: Tel 01494 475262
- Aylesbury District Tel: 01296 383514
The Occupational Therapist will arrange to assess your needs, normally at your home or in a clinic. They will consider the most cost effective solution to meet your needs which may include providing equipment, recommending minor or major adaptations, or to support you in considering other housing options. They will send a recommendation for any major adaptations to the District Council (and your landlord, if appropriate) for their consideration.
Your District Council will provide you with a Disabled Facilities Grant application form once they have agreed with you which works are to be grant funded.
Please note your District Council cannot pay a retrospective grant for works you have carried out prior to a full grant approval.
Where can I find out more?
Contact your District Council:
Aylesbury Vale District Council
- Tel: 01296 585605
- Email: envhealth@aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk
- Website: www.aylesburyvaledc.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants
Chiltern District Council
- Tel: 01494 732013
- Email:housing@chiltern.gov.uk
- Website: www.chiltern.gov.uk/article/6762/Disabled-Facilities-Grants
South Bucks District Council
- Tel: 01494 732013
- Email: housing@southbucks.gov.uk
- Website: www.southbucks.gov.uk/disabledfacilitygrants
Wycombe District Council
- Tel: 01494 412247 or 01494 412249
- Email: environmentalhealth@wycombe.gov.uk
- Website: www.wycombe.gov.uk/council-services/housing/private/home-improvement-grants.aspx
