Disabled Facilities Grant

Help with home adaptations

To be able to carry on living in their own home, some people may need adaptations to their property.

Grants are available to help provide adaptations and other aids to people who are elderly, disabled, physically impaired, have long-term medical conditions or who have other needs and would benefit from aids to help in their day-to-day lives.

The grants are called Disabled Facilities Grants and are available to help pay for alterations that assist with getting into or around the home, such as ramps, stairlifts and level access showers.

How do I apply?

An application for a grant involves:

  • An assessment of your needs by an occupational therapist from Social Services;

  • An assessment of your income and savings to determine the amount of grant to be paid.

Grants for disabled children aged under 19 and Council tenants are not subject to this financial means testing.

To apply contact Call Derbyshire on 01629 533190 and give them details regarding the person who needs the changes.

They will arrange for an occupational therapist or community care worker to visit your home and assess what is needed. In exceptional cases, a decision will be made to prioritise the work as urgent.

Do not start work until your application has been approved.

Who organises the work?

The Council will act as your agent and can obtain all necessary permissions, prepare any drawings, get prices from contractors and order and supervise the work.

You can appoint your own architects and contractors, but we will only approve a grant based on reasonable costs of other similar works. If you appoint your own you will be responsible for making sure any building regulations or planning permission needed have been granted before work starts.

How is the grant paid?

The grant might be paid in instalments as the work progresses or as a single payment once all the work is done. Your grant will only be fully paid when we are satisfied that the work has been satisfactorily completed in accordance with the grant approval and on receipt of an invoice, appropriate safety certificates, warranties and completion notices. The completed works must also fully meet the needs of the applicant, as specified by the occupational therapist.