A Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) is a means-tested grant for disabled people to enable them to make changes to their home to allow them to continue living there. The grant could be used to fund work such as: widening doorways, installing a stair lift or level access shower facility, converting a downstairs room to a toilet or bathroom, providing accessible kitchen facilities, ceiling track hoists, levelling external access routes or installing ramps.
To be eligible for a disabled facilities grant, you must be one of the following:
- an owner occupier;
- a private tenant;
- a landlord with a disabled tenant;
- a local authority tenant; or
- a housing association tenant.
Some occupiers of caravans and houseboats are also eligible.
If you are one of the above or are applying for the grant for someone else who is disabled, you need to state this on your application.
In order to access a Disabled Facilities Grants an assessment is required, this can be provided by your local Occupational Therapist (OT). Please call Hertfordshire County Council Adult Care Services on 0300 123 4042 and ask for an Occupational Therapist assessment or for a Child’s case contact 01923 470680.
The maximum grant payable under a disabled facilities grant (DFG) is £30,000 in England, £25,000 in Northern Ireland and £36,000 in Wales. The grant will only be paid when the local authority is satisfied that the work has been completed to their satisfaction and in accordance with the grant approval.
The actual amount of DFG that someone can get depends on the income and savings of the disabled person (and their partner), even if the disabled person has not actually applied for the grant (such as when an application is made by a landlord with a disabled tenant).
The income and savings test are similar, but not identical, to that for pre-universal credit means-tested benefits (such as income support). In all cases, the first £6,000 of any savings are ignored.
If the disabled person's income and savings are below the test limits, there will be no need for them to contribute to the cost of the works.
If the disabled person's income and savings are more than the test limits, then a contribution will be required from them towards the cost of the works.
There is no means test for a DFG if an application is made for the benefit of a child or a young person under the age of 18.
A Disabled Facilities Grant is mandatory (i.e., you are entitled to one if you meet the conditions for it). However, in order for an application to be approved, the local housing authority must be satisfied that the works are both ‘necessary and appropriate’ for the needs of the disabled person, and ‘reasonable and practicable’ in relation to the property.
A Disabled Facilities Grant won’t affect any benefits you get.