Disabled Facilities Grant applications up to a maximum of £30,000 are considered on a mandatory basis for owner-occupiers and tenants who require adaptations in their homes to enable a disabled person (who may not necessarily be the owner or the tenant) to live more independently.

A wide variety of adaptations can be considered, provided they are necessary and appropriate to meet the disabled person’s need; and reasonable and practicable depending on the age and condition of the property.

The disabled person (and their partner, if applicable) is subject to a means test to determine the level of Grant that they are entitled to, unless the disabled person is a child.

The Council’s Community Care Services Department, which deals with services for disabled people, will carry out an assessment and then make a referral for applicants to be considered for a Disabled Facilities Grant.

Relocation Grant

This grant is available when a disabled person qualifies for a Disabled Facilities Grant and one of the following circumstances exists:-

• the adaptations that are needed are not practicable
• the adaptations involve major work and it would be more beneficial to the disabled person and more cost effective if he or she moved to a home more suitable to his or her needs
• the disabled person is a tenant whose landlord has refused to give consent to the adaptation work.

The grant covers some of the cost of moving house. It includes solicitor’s fees, estate agent’s fees, removal costs, and other essential costs considered on an individual basis. £8,000 is the maximum reasonable cost that the Council will pay.
In each case, the applicant’s contribution to the cost will be assessed in the same way as for a Disabled Facilities Grant.

The new home might require work that qualifies for a Disabled Facilities Grant. If so, any applicant’s contribution to the Relocation Grant will be taken into account when calculating the amount of the Disabled Facilities Grant.