How long will the whole process take?

Once we receive either an enquiry from you or, in the case of Disabled Facilities Grants an Occupational Therapist recommendation, your Case Officer will send an acknowledgement letter within three working days.

Your Case Officer will contact you to check your details and start the  ‘Test of Resources’  process.

You will be means tested to find out if you should make a financial contribution towards the approved cost of the work.  This is called  ‘Test of Resources’  

It is important that when asked you promptly send details of your household income and family circumstances. We will send you a list of the type of documents you need to send us.

We will check the information and use it to work out how much you have to contribute toward the approved cost of the work.  We will send you a copy of our report.

Depending on the demand for grants, it may take some time before an inspection is arranged.

Your Case Officer will contact you to let you know when an inspection by a Technical Officer will take place.  We normally give no less than 10 working days’ notice. 

However, changes to our schedule can mean we may contact you 24 / 48 hours in advance to offer you the opportunity of an inspection if you are available.

Once an inspection has taken place your Technical Officer will put together a list of all the work which must be carried out to qualify for grant aid. 

This is called a ‘List of Grant Aided Work’ a copy of which will be sent to you within 12 weeks of inspection. 

The Housing Executive determines the amount of grant it will award based on its Schedule of Rates for grant-aided works which reflect fair market rates.  It may be less than quotes you receive because you have asked for work to be completed which are in addition to the grant-aid work or the estimates / quotes received are higher than can be justified under the grant-aid scheme. 

Please note: If the Grants Manager considers exceptional circumstances  may exist this recommendation will be considered by the Exceptional Circumstances Grants Committee before the ‘List of Grant Aided Work’ is prepared. 

This independent committee will examine the report and supporting photographs to decide if the criteria for ‘exceptional circumstances’ has been met or if more information is needed before a final decision can be reached. 

We will send you a list of the documents we will need to process your claim.  This may include:

• proof of ownership;
• architect (Principal Designer) plans or sketch plans;
• estimates from your builder / contractor (Principal Contractor);
• building control approval; and / or
• planning approval.

You must send us the documents requested as soon as possible but no later than six months from the date on our letter.  

The length of time it takes to obtain documents such as building control or planning approval depends on other statutory bodies.  If you find it’s taking longer than expected and may need more than six months please tell us.

You must not start any work until you’ve received an ‘Approval of Application’ from the Housing Executive.

This approval confirms:

• how much grant aid you have been awarded;

• you can start; and

• the date by which the work must be completed. 

Depending on how complex the work is and what statutory approvals you have to get, it can take up to six months for an ‘Approval of Application’ to be issued.

It may take two weeks to schedule a visit to your work site from when we receive your request for an inspection.  

If you’ve agreed stage payments with the Technical Officer for your work it is helpful to make sure you and your builder / contractor (Principal Contractor) have factored in inspection time.

The grant awarded will only be paid when

• the work is finished by your builder; 
• work has been approved by building control; 
• it has been inspected by the Housing Executive; and
• you have sent all accounts, receipts and certificates (including, if applicable, the insurance backed bond which guarantees the work) to the Housing Executive.

 It may take four weeks until the money is released.