Disabled Facilities Grants

This page has information about disabled facilities grants and how to apply for them.

Disabled facilities grants are available for a range of works that may be needed to help people with disabilities adapt their homes to meet their needs. The work can range from adapting a bathroom for a disabled person's use to providing access for them around their home.

A person's eligibility for a disabled facilities grant is decided by Oadby and Wigston Borough Council and Leicestershire County Council who work together to decide the work that may qualify and how much grant may be given.

We deal with applications for disabled facilities grant assistance when a case has been referred to us by the Leicestershire County Council Social Services Department.

Who can apply for a disabled facilities grant

Any of the following can apply:

A disabled person, if they own and live in their own home.

A disabled person who rents their home.

An owner occupier or tenant who has a disabled person living in their home can apply on behalf of that person.

A landlord can apply on behalf of a disabled tenant.

In all cases, the disabled person must be registered or eligible to register as disabled.

Work the grant might cover

This is known as the eligible work and it must be considered by an occupational therapist as necessary and appropriate for the disabled person. The work must also be agreed with us.

The work can include helping the disabled person in the following ways:

• getting into the house

• getting around the home (for example widening doorways, providing handrails and installing a stair lift)

• providing an adapted bathroom and/or kitchen

• improving the heating system

How do i apply?

Your first contact should be with your local Social Care office, within the Social Services Department of Leicestershire County Council.

They will arrange for one of their occupational therapists to carry out an assessment of your needs to decide what work is appropriate.

The occupational therapist will then refer your case to us and we will help you through the grant process.

If you would like to enquire through us, please complete our disabled facilities enquiry form.

When we receive this, we will send your details to the local Social Care office for their assessment.

How much grant may i get?

This depends on your income and your savings.

By law, a test of your financial resources, or means test, has to be applied to determine how much you are expected to pay towards the cost of the works.

The grant will normally cover the remainder of the cost up to £30,000.

If you receive income support, guaranteed pension credit, housing benefit or council tax benefit or the works are for a disabled child, you will automatically be entitled to a 100% grant of up to £30,000 towards the reasonable cost of works agreed between us and your occupational therapist.

When can i start the work?

You must not start any work, or ask any builder or contractor to start work, until you have made a full grant application to the council and we have told you in writing that this has been approved.

If you do start work or if you pay any money to a builder or anyone else before we tell you your application is approved, this will not be paid for or reimbursed by the council.

For further information go to disabled facilities grants.

Please go to related documents for the disabled facilities grant information booklet.

Additional information is also available from the Disabled Living Foundation, a charity whose aim is to provide information and advice to those needing adaptations.