Disabled Facilities Grant: What You Get and How
Quick answer
A Disabled Facilities Grant is a council grant that pays for home adaptations for a disabled person, such as ramps, stairlifts and level-access showers. The maximum is GBP 30,000 in England and GBP 36,000 in Wales. It is means-tested for adults but not for a disabled child, and it does not affect your benefits.
Disabled Facilities Grant at a glance
| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| What it pays for | Home adaptations: ramps, grab rails, stairlifts, level-access showers, widened doors, better access to rooms |
| Maximum (England) | GBP 30,000 |
| Maximum (Wales) | GBP 36,000 |
| Northern Ireland | Up to GBP 35,000 (more in some cases), through the Housing Executive |
| Scotland | No Disabled Facilities Grant; adaptations are funded through your council Scheme of Assistance |
| Means test | Applies to adults (income and savings over GBP 6,000 are counted); not applied for a disabled child under 16 |
| Effect on benefits | None - the grant does not affect the benefits you get |
| How to apply | Through your local council, usually after an occupational therapist assessment |
Step by step
- 1
Contact your council
Get in touch with your local council social care or housing department and say you want to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant.
- 2
Get an assessment
An occupational therapist usually assesses what adaptations you need so the work is matched to your disability.
- 3
Council checks the work
The council must be satisfied the work is necessary and appropriate for your needs, and reasonable and practicable for the property.
- 4
Complete the means test
If you are an adult, the council looks at your income and savings over GBP 6,000. The means test is not applied when the grant is for a disabled child.
- 5
Get the grant and do the work
Once approved, the grant pays for the adaptations up to the maximum for your nation. The grant does not affect any benefits you receive.
A Disabled Facilities Grant is one of the most useful pots of money a disabled person or their family can claim, and one of the least known. It pays for the physical changes that make a home workable: a ramp to the front door, grab rails, a stairlift, a level-access shower, wider doorways. In England the grant is worth up to GBP 30,000, in Wales up to GBP 36,000, and it is paid by your local council rather than deducted from any benefits you already get.
Two points make the difference between getting it and missing out. First, the means test only applies to adults, and only looks at income and savings over GBP 6,000; when the grant is for a disabled child under 16, it is not means-tested at all, so family finances are ignored. Second, the route in is always your local council, usually starting with an occupational therapist who assesses what you actually need. The council then has to agree the work is both necessary and appropriate for the person and reasonable and practicable for the property.
Scotland works differently, funding adaptations through the council Scheme of Assistance rather than this grant, and Northern Ireland runs its own version through the Housing Executive. If money is tight more widely, it is worth reading about the poverty premium that low-income households pay, the Help to Save bonus if you are on Universal Credit, and how to build a budget around a fixed or limited income. This is general information, not financial advice; grant rules and amounts vary by nation and can change, so check gov.uk and your local council for your own situation.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Disabled Facilities Grant?
The maximum is GBP 30,000 in England and GBP 36,000 in Wales. In Northern Ireland you can get up to GBP 35,000, and more in some cases, through the Housing Executive. Scotland does not have this grant and funds adaptations through the council Scheme of Assistance instead.
Who qualifies for a Disabled Facilities Grant?
A disabled person of any age whose home needs adapting can qualify, as long as the council agrees the work is necessary and appropriate for their needs and reasonable and practicable for the property. You can apply whether you own your home or rent it.
Is the Disabled Facilities Grant means-tested?
For adults, yes: the council looks at your household income and any savings over GBP 6,000, so a higher income can mean you contribute to the cost. For a disabled child under 16 the grant is not means-tested, so the family finances are not taken into account.
Does a Disabled Facilities Grant affect my benefits?
No. The grant is for home adaptations and does not count as income or savings, so it does not affect the benefits you receive.
How long does a Disabled Facilities Grant take?
It varies by council and by how complex the work is, and can take several months from the first assessment to the finished adaptation. Urgent cases can sometimes be prioritised, so tell the council if your need is pressing.
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General information, not financial advice. Tax rules and figures can change; check the current position on gov.uk before acting.