Disabled Facilities Grant

It is available to:

• home owners
• landlords

Private tenants may qualify for help with adapting a property if you have a person with a disability living in your house.

You must use the grant for adaptation work recommended by your Occupational Therapist (OT). You may need extra work to make sure the required adaptations can be completed. 

The OT may recommend adaptions including:

• improved access into the
  • home
  • bathroom
  • living room
  • bedroom
• adding an extra bathroom or disabled showering facilities
• adapting lighting or heating controls
• upgrading heating system to one operated by a switch

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

You may get up to £25,000. The size of the grant will depend on the cost of the work required and your financial circumstances.

In some cases we may increase the award up to a maximum of £50,000.

You may have to make a contribution toward the cost of the work. The amount depends on:

• your circumstances
• who the adaptation is for
• if you include extra work which is not grant-aided
• the work costs more than we allow

We work out the amount of grant aid we will award based on a 'Schedule of Rates' which reflect fair market rates.

You may need the adaptations for use by an adult. You will then be means tested. This is how we decide if you should meet some of the costs of the works.

We call this the ‘Test of Resources’.

We base the calculation on:

• your household’s average income (ie your resources)
• what the Government says will meet your ‘basic’ needs

Your income includes:

• all earnings from employment (including self-employment)
• certain benefits
• pensions
• savings
• any other source(s)

You may need the work for a child in your household.

If you receive Child Benefit for this child then we do not carry out a ‘Test of Resources’.

You can read more information about:

• Test of Resources

​Or contact your local:

• Grants Office

Your builder can complete work not recommended by an Occupational Therapist. But you will have to pay for it. 

The Housing Executive will not grant aid it.

You must tell us if you intend to have extra work carried out.

You cannot apply to the Housing Executive. You must contact the Occupational Therapy service.

You can find an OT through your local:

• Health and Social Services Trust
• General Practitioner (GP) or
• social worker

They will start the process for you.

An Occupational Therapist must make the recommendations.

If you have any questions please contact your local Grants Office on:

T: 03448 920 900 (Textphone 18001 03448 920 900) 

Members of our team will be happy to help you at any point of the process.

If you need extra support during the grant application process then you can contact:

• Radius Housing | T: 033 0123 0888 (Staying Put Team)
• Gable | T: 028 7188 2147 | E: gable@shelterni.org (operates in Limavady, Derry~Londonderry, Magherafelt, Strabane)

Each case is unique. But some factors will affect the length of time:

• the demand for grant aid
• the money / budget available
• receiving information from your Occupational Therapist and
• receiving information from you including
  • income / benefit details, architect drawings, builder information, building control certificates

We will only pay the grant award when:

• your builder finishes the work
• your Occupational Therapist confirms that the work meets the person’s needs
• our staff confirm the value of the work carried out meets the standard required and the value of the grant aid; and
• you have sent us all required accounts, receipts and certificates

We may consider making part payments while work is being carried out. You should speak to your Technical Officer about.

You must not start any work until you receive an ‘Approval of Application’ in writing from the Housing Executive.

This approval confirms:

• how much grant aid you will get
• that you can start work
• the date by which you must finish the work

You must provide all the documentation and statutory approvals before we issue this.

It can take up to six months for us to provide an ‘Approval of Application’.

This toolkit was compiled to help with housing adaptations which will make the home of a person with disabilities suitable for his / her needs.

• Download the Adaptations Design Toolkit