How to Apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant to Adapt Your Home in England or Wales

What can a Disabled Facilities Grant be used for?

A Disabled Facilities Grant, commonly called a DFG, helps pay for changes that allow a disabled person to live more safely and independently at home.

Official guidance gives examples of eligible adaptations such as:

• widening doors and installing ramps or grab rails;
• improving access to rooms and facilities;
• installing a stairlift;
• providing a level-access shower or accessible bathroom;
• creating a downstairs bedroom or bathroom where necessary;
• improving access to and from a garden;
• providing a suitable heating system;
• adapting heating or lighting controls; and
• providing qualifying assistive technology.

The exact work funded depends on the disabled person's assessed needs and whether the council considers the proposed solution necessary, appropriate and suitable for the property.

Who can apply for the grant?

The application can be made by an owner, tenant or landlord. The disabled person does not necessarily have to be the person who owns or rents the home.

To qualify, the disabled person must live in the property and normally intend to remain there throughout the grant condition period, which GOV.UK says is usually 5 years. A shorter period can apply, for example where the person has a terminal illness.

What does the council assess?

The council has two central tests. It must be satisfied that the proposed work is:

• necessary and appropriate to meet the disabled person's needs; and
• reasonable and practicable, taking into account the age and condition of the property.

The council may arrange for an occupational therapist or another trained assessor to visit the home and identify appropriate adaptations.

How much can you get in England or Wales?

The statutory maximum for a single Disabled Facilities Grant application is currently:

• up to £30,000 in England; and
• up to £36,000 in Wales.

Some councils can provide additional discretionary funding above the statutory maximum under their local policies, so a project costing more than the limit is not automatically impossible.

A Disabled Facilities Grant does not affect benefits you receive.

Is the Disabled Facilities Grant means-tested?

The amount available can depend on the financial rules applying to the applicant and local scheme. GOV.UK states that grant calculations can take account of household income and savings above £6,000 and that some applicants may need to contribute towards the cost.

There are important exceptions. A disabled child under 18 can receive a grant without the parents' income being taken into account. A landlord's DFG application is also not assessed using the landlord's income and savings.

Welsh councils operate DFGs alongside Welsh Government home-adaptation arrangements and local policies, so applicants in Wales should obtain the current financial-assessment rules directly from their council before assuming that a contribution will be required.

Can tenants and landlords apply?

Yes. The statutory scheme is not limited to homeowners. A tenant or landlord can make an eligible application.

For a landlord application, the council does not take the landlord's income and savings into account. GOV.UK notes that a council may require the property to be let to another disabled person if the current disabled tenant moves within 5 years.

If you are a housing-association tenant in Wales, there is also a Welsh Government Physical Adaptations Grant route operated through housing associations, so your housing association may direct the adaptation through that scheme rather than asking you to manage a DFG application yourself.

Where do you apply?

You apply through the local council for the property. GOV.UK provides a postcode-based council finder for England and Wales.

There is no single national DFG application form or universal national online submission service. The exact form and whether it can be completed online depends on the council.

Will an occupational therapist assess your home?

The council may arrange for an occupational therapist or trained assessor to visit you and assess what changes are needed.

This assessment helps establish whether the proposed adaptations meet the statutory requirement of being necessary and appropriate for the disabled person's needs.

Do not assume that the most expensive or most extensive adaptation will automatically be approved. The council considers what work reasonably meets the assessed need in that particular property.

What paperwork should you prepare?

Application requirements vary by council, so follow the checklist issued by the authority handling your case. Depending on the work and your circumstances, the council may require information about:

• ownership, tenancy or landlord status;
• the disabled person and their residence in the property;
• household finances where an assessment applies;
• the proposed adaptation;
• contractor quotations;
• plans or technical specifications; and
• planning or building-control approvals where relevant.

The council may ask you to employ a qualified architect or surveyor to plan and oversee more complex work. If the grant is approved, qualifying professional fees can be included in the eligible costs.

Do not start the work before the council approves it

This is one of the most important DFG rules. GOV.UK warns that you might not receive any grant if work begins before the council approves the application.

Contact the council first, complete its assessment and application process and wait for approval before instructing a contractor to start the funded work.

Do you also need planning or building regulations approval?

Possibly. A DFG approval does not replace planning or building-control requirements.

You must apply separately for any planning permission or building regulations approval required by the project. This is particularly important for structural adaptations or extensions.

How long can the council take to decide?

The local authority must give you a decision within 6 months from the date of the application.

The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 requires the authority to notify the applicant in writing whether the application has been approved or refused no later than six months after the application date.

The assessment and preparation stages before a complete application is made can vary locally, so the total journey from first contacting the council to completed adaptations may be longer.

How quickly must approved work be completed?

GOV.UK states that the approved work should normally be completed within 12 months of the grant being approved.

Your council will explain the practical arrangements for contractors, inspections and grant payments.

How is the grant paid?

The council can pay the grant:

• in instalments as the work progresses; or
• in full when the work has been completed.

The authority may pay the contractor directly or give the money to you to pass to the contractor. The payment arrangement should be agreed when the application is approved.

Payment is normally linked to satisfactory completion and invoices, demands or receipts for the work. If you or a relative carry out the work yourselves, GOV.UK says councils will normally accept only invoices for materials or services that were purchased.

Can you apply for another grant for the same home?

Yes. GOV.UK states that you can apply for another Disabled Facilities Grant for the same property if further adaptations become necessary, for example because the disabled person's condition changes.

In England, detailed government guidance also confirms that there is no general prohibition on successive DFG applications. Previous assessed contributions can be relevant to a later application under the applicable rules.

Can you challenge a council decision?

If you are unhappy with the council's decision, GOV.UK states that you can appeal to the council.

If the matter remains unresolved after the council's process, the official guidance says you can complain to the Local Government Ombudsman.

What other support may be relevant?

A DFG is specifically for adaptations to make a home suitable for a disabled person. It is different from help with ordinary housing costs or schemes for purchasing a property.

If you need help paying eligible rent rather than adapting the property, see Helpydo's guide to applying for Housing Benefit through your local council. If a disability also affects your daily living or mobility, you can separately check the procedure for claiming Personal Independence Payment.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Starting building work before grant approval.
• Paying for major works before checking what the council will accept as eligible expenditure.
• Assuming only homeowners can apply when tenants and landlords can also qualify.
• Assuming the maximum £30,000 or £36,000 amount is automatically awarded in every case.
• Failing to complete the financial information required by the council where an assessment applies.
• Starting structural work without checking separate planning or building regulations requirements.
• Assuming grant approval means any proposed design must be funded rather than the adaptation the council considers necessary and appropriate.

What should you do before hiring a contractor?

Contact your local council first and make sure the disabled person's needs have been assessed. Confirm which works the council regards as eligible, what financial contribution applies, what quotations or plans are required and whether planning or building-control approval is needed.

Most importantly, obtain the council's written grant approval before work starts. Starting too early can put the entire grant at risk.