Disabled Adaptations

What is a Disabled Facilities Adaptation?

• Adaptations vary according to the needs of the person, and range from a simple grab rail to help with getting in and out of the bath, to adding extra space in the home (but only where this extra space is needed to meet the needs of a member of your household who has a disability).
• In many cases, the Council can help eligible householders with the cost of an adaptation, but only when the need has been agreed by an Occupational Therapist and any proposed works are deemed necessary and appropriate.
• A housing adaptation is a physical alteration to your home which helps you get in and out of your home, improves mobility within your home and allows you to have safe access to essential facilities in the main areas of your home.
• An adaptation must be a material change to the home. Repairs and maintenance are not included in the process.
  
  

What is a Disabled Adaptation Facilities Grant?

• Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a type of financial assistance used to help with adapting the home. Some types of DFG are mandatory and are covered by legislation set out in the Housing Grants, Regeneration and Construction Act 1996.
• The Welsh Assembly Government has set a maximum limit for a mandatory DFG of £36,000. This is the maximum amount of grant that can be awarded, but each case will be assessed on it's own merits. It may also be reduced in circumstances where the applicant is expected to contribute towards the cost of the work.
• It is sometimes necessary for other adaptation work to be carried out which is not covered by the legislation. Policies vary from one Council area to another, but in Conwy, the Discretionary Disabled Facilities Assistance can be used to pay for items which are considered necessary to ensure that the adaptation fully meets the needs of the person with disabilities.
  
  

A DFG can be awarded for a wide range of adaptations including the following typical examples:

• Fitting stair-lifts and hoists to ensure that a person with disabilities can use both floors in their home
• Bathroom adaptations
• Ramps and handrails inside and out improving access to and from the home
• Making changes to kitchens to ensure a person with disabilities can cook and prepare food
• Improving or providing a heating system in the home where there is a specific health related need.
  
  

Here are some typical examples of works which can be paid for using Discretionary Disabled Facilities Assistance inside the home:

• Adaptations to provide necessary treatment facilities
• Adaptations to allow a person with disabilities to be able to work from home
• Storage for a wheelchair

To find out more or to make an application please contact Single Point of Access.

Who can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant / DDFA?

You can apply for Disabled Facilities Grant if you are:

• A homeowner
• A tenant renting from a private landlord
• A permanent resident of a park home
• Living on a houseboat

Different funding arrangements can apply to Housing Association tenants. If you are a Housing Association tenant, please contact your landlord for further information.

Do you have to pay anything towards the cost of the Adaptation?

• By law, everyone who applies for Disabled Facilities Grant must undergo a financial assessment. This is carried out on the applicant and spouse and is used to work out how much (if anything) the applicant has to pay towards the cost of the works. Under new changes bought in by Welsh Government certain adaptations may now be exempt from a financial assessment. 
• If the adaptation is for a child with disabilities there will be no financial assessment, and the Council will pay for any adaptation works which are considered necessary and appropriate.
• Please be aware that a charge may be placed on your property dependent on the cost of the adaptation works.
  
  

How does the Disabled Facilities Grant process work?

• If you are struggling with activities of daily living around your home, you should contact the Single Point of Access.
• They will ask you a number of questions and decide whether you should be referred to the Occupational Therapy Service.
• An Occupational Therapist will visit you at home to carry out an assessment of need. In particular they will want to know about the nature of your condition, the physical problems you have, and information about the needs of any family and carers you may have.
• Where your needs can be met by a simple piece of equipment being provided (for example, a walking frame or special bath seat), the Occupational Therapy service will aim to provide that as soon as possible.
• If your needs cannot be met by such a piece of equipment, the Occupational Therapist may arrange for minor adaptations such as grab rails to be carried out directly.
• Where needs cannot be met by equipment or minor adaptations a referral will be made to the Housing Improvements Team. The Housing Improvements staff will complete a means test (a financial assessment) to calculate any potential contribution that you may be asked to pay towards the adaptation costs. A means test will not be required if you receive certain qualifying benefits – this will be explained during the process.
• If you do decide to go ahead, Technical Surveyor will be assigned to your case, they will arrange a home visit to carry out an assessment of your property to identify how to meet the identified need in the most reasonable and practicable way. 
• The proposals drawn up will be what Conwy will support and fund, they may differ from the work the applicant wishes to take place. Applicants are under no obligation to accept the proposals put forward by the Technical Surveyor and Occupational Therapist but any alternative scheme will probably have to be privately funded.
• Once proposals have been agreed, the technical surveyor will create drawings and a schedule of works, and get estimates fir the work. 
• Once this has been done, any assessed contribution from the financial assessment should be paid to the Housing Improvements department at this point. Once paid, the grant can be approved, and authorisation sent to the chosen contractor.
• When works begin The Technical Surveyor will supervise the work until it is completed to your satisfaction.
• Once the adaptation works have been completed we will send you a Customer Satisfaction Questionnaire which will help us to monitor the quality of the service we provide.
  
  

How do I get help from Adult Social Services?

If you are having problems getting into, out of, or around your home, and would like an adaptation / alteration to your home to meet your specific needs, then please complete the on-line application form below and the Council’s Single Point of Access team with then contact you to discuss further.

They will ask you a number of questions and decide whether you should be referred to the Occupational Therapy Service.

Council Tax

• If you are disabled and your home has been adapted, you may be entitled to a discount on your council tax. For more information please contact the Council Tax department.
  
  

Data Protection

• We will keep confidential any information which you give us. You have the right to see the information we hold about you.
  
  

You can get more information about the adaptations process from:

Enhanced System for Delivering Home Adaptations (PDF, 279Kb)

Disabled Parking Bays