Disabled Facilities Grants

The stages of the Disabled Facilities Grant procedure

You are entitled to put in an application form for a Disabled Facilities Grant at any time. However in order to ensure that your application contains all the information required, so that it can be processed as quickly as possible, you are advised to follow the procedures detailed in this leaflet which have been agreed between the Social Care Services and local councils.

The procedure of applying for a grant varies depending on whether you will be applying for grant aid for building alteration or for the installation of equipment such as stairlifts, through floor lifts.

a) The Procedures Followed by All Local Councils in the Case of Building Alterations

(Some Councils offer agency services which will act on your behalf in putting together your application form and overseeing the works if the grant is approved.)

Your local council will offer to carry out a Preliminary Test of Financial Resources and may require you to fill in an enquiry form. If you provide details of income, savings etc at this stage it will help you to decide whether or not to proceed with your grant application. If this test reveals that you can afford to pay for your adaptations you may still wish to apply for the grant (even though you won’t get any money) because your costs will be taken into account should you need more alterations to your property within the next 10 years.

You do not always have to fill in a form at this stage although full details of the disabled persons finances with supporting evidence will be required at the time you submit your application

The local council will need to consult with Social Care Services who will arrange for an assessment of your needs, usually by an Occupational Therapist. Further advice on the assessment process and community care services is available from your local Social Care office.
Site Visit(s) - A number of people may visit your home, initially to agree a suitable scheme, then to arrange for plans if necessary, then to price for the works. Officers that you may receive a visit from are:-

Occupational Therapists, Environmental Health Officers or Grant Officers, Architects or Architectural Technicians, Contractors, Council Agents.

It is important to note that unreasonable and impractical schemes will be turned down by the local councils

As soon as a possible scheme has been identified you may need to appoint an architectural technician (unless your council does this as part of an agency service).
Once the final plans (if appropriate) have been agreed by yourself, the District Council Officer and the Occupational Therapist, planning permission/building regulation approval obtained (as appropriate), you will be sent an application form with details of the scheme. You will be asked to obtain two builders estimates for the works. (This is done by an agency if one is appointed). If you wish to make any alterations to the scheme at any time, you must discuss this with your Environmental Health/Grant Officer.
As soon as you are happy with your contractors prices you should complete your application form and return it with any supporting documentation to your local council.
The council has 6 months to make a decision regarding your application once it has been registered. However your application will not be registered unless it is complete and you have provided all the information required. Most councils respond a lot quicker than 6 months.

b) The Procedure Followed by All Local Councils for the Installation of Lifts, Special Toilets with a washing, drying facility

The procedure follows the stages listed previously except for stages d) and e) which are replaced with the following:-

The installation of stairlifts etc can be seen as a specialist piece of work. Staircases vary widely and so do your needs.

Leicestershire County Council is able to obtain estimates for specialist equipment if you so wish. They also offer a maintenance and servicing contract for such equipment. (You will be sent details of the maintenance service when your grant has been approved).

You should complete your application form but you will not need to obtain two estimates if you use the County Council service. The County Council will arrange for two estimates to be provided for you.

On completion of your application form you should return it with any supporting documentation to your local council

Disabled Facilities Grants

The stages of the Disabled Facilities Grant procedure

further information