Types of grants available

The Disabled Facilities Grant provides adaptations to homes for a person with a disability and is based on the recommendation of an Occupational Therapist.

Who can apply for Disabled Facilities Grant?

If you are an owner occupier, landlord or private tenant you may qualify for assistance with adaptations if you have a person with disabilities living in your house and the work is recommended by an Occupational Therapist.

What can I use it for?

Work recommended by your local Occupational Therapist.

The adaptions may include:

• Improving access to the bathroom, living room or bedroom
• Adding extra bathroom facilities
• Making changes to the kitchen to make cooking food easier
• Adapting lighting or heating controls
• Upgrading heating system 

Your Occupational Therapist will assess your circumstances and recommend the work needed.

How much can I get?

The size of the grant depends on the cost of the work needed and your personal financial circumstances. You may have to make a contribution toward the cost of the work.

If the work is required for a child, no contribution is required.

For more information contact your local Grants Office

Can I do other work?

Yes, but the cost of this extra work will have to be paid for by you and will not be grant aided by us.

How do I apply?

Contact your local Health and Social Services Trust, GP or social worker. They will answer your questions and start the process.

Can I get help to process my application?

If you have any questions your local grants office will be happy to help you at any point of the process. If you are elderly or have special needs, with your agreement we will make arrangements with agencies to help you.

How long does it take?

It depends on the demand and the money we have available.

When will I receive my grant payment?

You will receive your grant when the work is finished, it has been approved by the Occupational Therapist and Housing Executive, and you have sent all accounts, receipts and certificates to the Housing Executive.

If may receive payments while the work is being carried out if the Grants Managers agrees to it.

It is important to note that work must not commence until you have received approval to do so from the Housing Executive.

The Repair Grant is available to aid in the repair of houses following the issue of statutory notices by the local council.

What is a statutory notice?

There are two types of statutory notice:

1. Public Health Notice

This notice is served on landlords, agents and certain tenants. Because the council will allow only a short time for the work to be carried out, you can carry out the repairs listed on the notice before applying for the grant. We will then inspect the work after it is completed.

2. Notice of Disrepair

This notice is served on the landlord/owner of the property. This is only applies to properties that are subject to a protected or statutory tenancy under the Rent Order (NI) 1978.

Work can be carried out to comply with the notice in advance and the grant will be processed afterward.

Who can apply for a Repair Grant?

• Landlords
• Agents
• Some private tenants
• Owners who do not occupy the premises as their only or principal home
• Owners/landlords of vacant properties

What types of repairs are covered by the grant?

This grant is for the repair or replacement of existing items. Not for adding anything new to the property.

How much grant is available?

Repair grants are not measured according to your financial situation. The maximum grant available is £7,500 over a period of 3 years. For more information on the grant amount you could possibly receive please contact your local grants office.

How is the grant paid?

You will be paid when all the work has been completed on the property and all accounts, receipts and certificates have been sent to us.

Please contact your local grants office for more information.

The Renovation Grant is for homes that have been inspected and found unfit to live in, or will become unfit to live in if repairs are not carried out. These grants will only be approved in exceptional circumstances.

The information below only applies to applications where exceptional circumstances exist

What type of properly is eligible?

If your home:

• is unfit for human habitation
• is in a state of disrepair (this is only available in selected areas)
• is 10+ years old
• is not in a redeveloped area and will not be included in one within the next 12 months
• is not part of a Group Repair Scheme and will not be part of one within the next 12 months

Who can apply?

You can apply for a grant if:

• you own or intend to buy a house or flat (alone or with others)
• you are a tenant and are responsible for repairing the house.

You must be 18 or over to qualify.

What kind of work is covered?

Work covered by this grant can include:

• damp proofing
• roof replacement
• provision of basic facilities
• replacement of chimneys
• plaster work
• electrical work
• basic security and heating may also be included

Can I do other work?

Yes, but the costs for this will have to be paid by you and will not be grant aided by us.

Can I get help to process my application?

If you have any questions your local grants office will be happy to help you at any point of the process. If you are elderly or have special needs, with your agreement we will make arrangements with agencies to help you.

How long does it take?

We are limited by demand and the money we have available. You can speed up the process by submitting your documents on time.

What are the conditions of the grant?

When you apply for the grant you must:

• occupy the house as your only or main residence for 5 years; or
• if you are a landlord, make the house available for letting for 5 years.

If you break this agreement you may have to repay the grant with interest.

How much can I get?

The amount available to you depends on the cost of the work and your financial circumstances.

If you are on a low income you may get aid up to £25,000. We will calculate any contribution you may need to make. For more information contact your local grants office.

Test of resources

If you are a landlord your grant is calculated on a percentage basis depending on the area the property is located.

It is important to note that work must not commence until you have received approval to do so from the Housing Executive.

Replacement Grants assist people who live in rural areas when their homes are unfit to live in and cannot be repaired. 

The grant is only available in exceptional circumstances.

We are not accepting new applications for the Replacement Grant at this time. The information below will only apply to those who have met the exceptional circumstances.

Who can apply?

• Owner-occupiers
• Landlords in selected areas

You must be 18 or over to qualify.

What type of property is eligible?

• The property can be currently occupied by the owner or a member of their family, or be vacant.
• If it is occupied, the owner or a family member must be living in the house for at least 12 months.
• If it is vacant, the applicant must be in an urgent need of housing. This is assessed under the Housing Selection Scheme and the applicant must have strong social or economic ties to the area.
• The property must be in a state of disrepair and not suitable for renovation, or that it would not be cost effective.

Can I get a grant for a second home?

No. The Replacement Grants are only available for the property you live in, or intend to live in, as your only or main residence.

Must I replace the existing house?

Yes, but there may be cases when we decide relocation to a nearby part of the same land holding is preferable and would be most cost effective.

Can the original house be retained?

The original property must be demolished before the final payment of the grant, but an exception will be made on a recommendation from the local council planning service.

How much can I get?

The amount of grant paid will depend on the cost of the work and your financial circumstances. If you are on a low income you could qualify for grant aid up to £31,500. You may have to make a contribution toward the cost of the work. We will calculate this for you.

For more information contact your local Grants Office.

Can I do other work?

Yes, but the costs for this will have to be paid by you and will not be grant aided by us.

Can I get help to process my application?

If you have any questions your local grants office will be happy to help you at any point of the process. If you are elderly or have special needs, with your agreement we will make arrangements with agencies to help you.

How long does it take?

We are limited by demand and the money we have available. You can speed up the process by submitting your documents on time.

What are the conditions of the grant?

When you apply for the grant you must:

• occupy the house as your only or main residence for 5 years; or
• if you are a landlord, make the house available for letting for 5 years.

If you break this agreement you may have to repay the grant with interest.

How is the grant paid?

You will be paid when all the work has been completed and all accounts, receipts and certificates have been sent to us. You may receive payments while work is still ongoing if the Grants Manager agrees. 

It is important to note that work must not commence until you have received approval to do so from the Housing Executive.

The Home Repair Assistance Grant is for small-scale repair work and improvements to homes.

This grant is only available in exceptional circumstances.  

We are not accepting new applications for the Home Repair Assistance Grant at this time. The information below will only apply to those who have met the exceptional circumstances.

Who can apply?

Owner occupiers and private tenants, if they are:

• Over 18 years old and receiving Housing Benefit, Income Support, Income Based Job Seekers Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance (Income Related), Working Tax Credit or Pension Credit (guarantee credit element) or Universal Credit.
• or
• Over 18 years old, ill or have a disability, receiving of a qualifying benefit such as Attendance Allowance (AA), Disability Living Allowance (DLA)/Personal Independence Payment (PIP)/Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP), Mobility Supplement, Long Term Incapacity Benefit, Severe Disablement Allowance (SDA)

or

• Over 60 years old

What works are covered?

• work on the outside of your home, for example the roof and rendering

• improving health and safety risks, for example repairs to electrical wiring

How much grant is available?

You may receive up to a maximum of £5,000 over 3 years.

Can I get help to process my application?

If you have any questions your local grants office will be happy to help you at any point of the process. If you are elderly or have special needs, with your agreement we will make arrangements with agencies to help you.

How long does it take?

We are limited by demand and the money we have available.

You can speed up the process by submitting your documents on time.

How is the grant paid?

You will be paid when all the work has been completed and all accounts, receipts and certificates have been sent to us. You may receive payments while work is still ongoing if the grant manager agrees. 

It is important to note that work must not commence until you have received approval to do so from the Housing Executive.

Local councils across NI took over responsibility for houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) from the NI Housing Executive on the 1st April 2019. All HMOs must be licensed by the local council.

Belfast City Council manage the delivery of the Licensing Scheme on behalf of all local councils.