A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is an amount of money provided by a local authority. It is potentially available to a person if they are required to change their home as a result of themselves or a family member within the home being disabled. The grants have been made available by the government under Part 1 of the Housing Grant, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996. What can a Disabled Facilities Grant pay for? Some examples of items that could be funded by a DFG are: Widening of doors for wheelchair access Installing a ramp to make accessing your home easier Installing a stair lift Heating system changes to meet your needs Changes to heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use Creating a downstairs bathroom or wet room, to include items of equipment Installing ceiling track hoists The above list is not exhaustive and can change, depending on an individual’s needs following an assessment. How much will I get if I apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant? Eligibility for a DFG for a disabled adult is means-tested. The income and capital of the disabled person and their spouse or partner (collectively referred to as the relevant person) is considered. Separate to the amount of income the relevant person has in the household, if the household has capital in excess of £6,000, then the means test will mean that you are not eligible. However, if you do not have a working spouse or partner in the household and are in receipt of benefits, you may well be eligible. People who have received awards of compensation may still be eligible if the funds are held in Trust or are under the control of a Court of Protection appointed Deputy. Depending on where you live in the UK, the maximum grant available can vary, as follows: England – Up to £30,000 Wales – Up to £36,000 Northern Ireland – Up to £25,000 Scotland - Disabled Facilities Grants are not available. You can apply for a DFG if you are a homeowner or a tenant. Most local authorities will require you to employ an architect or a surveyor to plan and oversee the work to the property. Using a Disabled Facilities Grant to adapt your home Many local authorities require you to apply for a grant before any work on the property begins. The way the local authority deals with when the work can start varies greatly. Some local authorities will allow adaptations to commence while the DFG application is being considered, although the work or equipment relevant to the DFG application cannot be started. However, some local authorities will state that no work whatsoever can commence until the outcome of the DFG application has been determined. This would be irrespective of whether the work impacts upon items to be claimed as part of a DFG. You must always ensure you know the local authority’s stance on the work commencing before it starts. A DFG application cannot be made retrospectively. A local authority can also reject an application if the work has started before they have given permission for it to start. Many local authorities will require at least two quotes from different contractors. If the DFG work forms part of a much larger property adaptation project, the local authority may require sight of the tenders from the contractors. You should ensure that the local authority has confirmed their requirements in this regard. Examples of successful Disabled Facilities Grant applications At Boyes Turner, our Court of Protection team frequently advise and make DFG applications on behalf of clients. Some examples of where we have successfully claimed a DFG for clients with awards of compensation are: An 11 year old boy based in the Midlands who, as a result of brain injuries at birth, has quadriplegic cerebral palsy. He received an award of compensation in excess of £2,000,000 and was awarded a full DFG of £30,000. A 7 year old girl based in Berkshire who, as a result of brain injury at birth, is now a permanent wheelchair user. She received an award of compensation in excess of £3,000,000 and was awarded a full DFG of £30,000. Have questions about Disabled Facilities Grants? Contact us and get expert guidance from our Court of Protection team.
