Funding for Adaptations

Understanding the Grants System.
A discussion on the various sources of funding and the legislation involved in accessing grants, following the assessment of need by both the disabled person and their family and the professional workers who are advising them; information on VAT.

Download the pdf to see details about the funding of adaptations: Funding of Adaptations (662 kb)

(This information can also be found in chapter 12 'Funding' in the Muscular Dystrophy Campaign’s Adaptations Manual, 2nd edition.)

The aim of adaptations

There is no better way to introduce the subject than to quote from DOE Circular 10/90 House Adaptations for People with Disabilities which was published when the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) was first introduced. This stated, "It is fundamental to the Government’s policy of promoting effective care for people in their own homes and communities that disabled people should, as far as possible, be able to enjoy similar minimum housing standards to those enjoyed by able-bodied people".

This is a sound basis from which to approach the process of adaptations because we are all familiar with the basic facilities that most people enjoy in daily life. Clearly, disabled people have the right, within the limits of their disability and not the environment in which they live, to have these same facilities available, and the process of adaptations and the funding is to ensure that this is achieved and, equally important, to provide help for the carers.

The topics covered are:

• The aim of adaptations
• Key principles
• How is funding obtained? 
• Housing categories 
• England & Wales
• Disabled Facilities Grant and Social Services funding
• Northern Ireland
  (See below re abolition of the means test for parents of disabled children, in Northern Ireland)
• Scotland: Improvement & Repairs Grant
• The Scottish Executive
• Social Work Department (Scotland)
• Department of Health/Health Board
• The Family Fund
• Providers and funding of adaptations, equipment and services
• VAT
• References & contacts for obtaining publications

The Family Fund

Please note that due to a huge increase in applications for assistance with housing adaptations, The Family Fund is exercising increased discretion. It is able to consider offering financial help towards a family’s assessed contribution (for families which meet the Fund's eligibility criteria) but is highly unlikely to be able to “match” top up funds or discretionary grants from the local authority.

www.familyfund.org.uk

VAT information

Information about VAT can be found on HM Customs & Excise website.

www.hmce.gov.uk

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive website

Note that since 1st February 2004 the “Means Test” has been abolished for parents of disabled children in Northern Ireland who apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Parents can therefore apply for mandatory grant assistance without having to contribute anything themselves.

The Muscular Dystrophy Campaign, along with Homes Fit for Children Campaign, continues to seek similar changes to the parental means test in England and Wales.

www.nihe.gov.uk Return to the Adaptations front page.