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> Home > Housing Help > Grants > Types of grants available > Renovation grant

Renovation grant

The renovation grant is for homes that have been inspected and found to be unfit to live in.  The property must be your main or only home. 

We only award renovation grants in the exceptional circumstances listed below: 

  • the renovation grant is necessary to complete a disabled facilities grant
  • the property has 'imminent and significant' health and safety risks for the occupant(s)
  • the property's structural stability puts the occupant(s) at serious risk 

Please note this grant-aid is subject to funding.

You can also read more about:

You may qualify if your property is 10 years or more and is:

  • unfit for human habitation
  • in a state of disrepair
  • not in a redeveloped area and will not be in one within the next 12 months, and
  • not part of a Group Repair Scheme and will not be part of one within the next 12 months.

You can apply for a grant if you:

  • own or intend to buy a house or flat (alone or with others)
  • are a tenant and are responsible for repairing the house, and
  • are 18 years or over, and
  • are currently living in the property

Work covered by this grant can include:

  • damp proofing
  • roof replacement
  • providing basic facilities such as bathroom, kitchen or hot water system
  • replacing chimneys
  • plaster work
  • electrical work
  • basic heating may also be included and in certain circumstances, security

Yes. It is not unusual for an applicant to undertake additional works on their property given that they will have a contractor onsite.

This work is referred to as ‘enhanced’ work and you are responsible for paying all of the associated costs.

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

It will not be grant aided.

We administer the grant aid on behalf of the Department for Communities.

We do not arrange for work to be completed, or carry out work.

It is your responsibility to:

  • appoint an architect to develop drawings (a principal designer)
  • appoint a builder or contractor, if needed, to carry out the work (a principal contractor)
  • arrange planning permission and/or building regulations approval where necessary

You can read more information about contractors at:

You can also read advice from NI Direct about:

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, if a Disabled Facilities Grant has been recommended and
  • receiving information from you including:
    • income / benefit details, architect drawings, builder information, building control information

When you apply for the grant you must:

  • occupy the house as your only or main home for 5 years, or
  • if you are a landlord, make the house available for rent for 5 years after finishing the work

The five years starts from the date which the work is signed-off by a Technical Officer.  If you break this agreement you may have to repay some, or all, of the grant-aid paid to you. 

We will place a ‘statutory charge’ on the property once the work is completed.

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

We base the calculation on:

  • your household’s total income (i.e. your resources)
  • what the Government says will meet your ‘basic’ needs

We will include income from:

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

The calculations are not based on income alone. We also consider your family status.

These include:

  • the number of children in your household
  • whether you have a partner
  • disability
  • age

Our calculations may show that your income is less than the amount the Government says you need. The grant amount awarded will then meet the ‘approved cost’ of the work.

For more information contact your local grants office.

If you are a landlord we calculate the award amount on a percentage basis.

The grant awarded will only be paid when
  • your builder finishes the work
  • building control has approved the work
  • our staff confirm the grant-aided work has been carried out; and
  • you have sent us all required accounts, receipts and certificates

You must not start any work until you receive an ‘approval of application’ in writing from us.

This approval confirms:

  • how much grant aid you will get
  • that you can start work, and
  • 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’.