Home Adaptations: What They Cost and How to Get Help

Most older people want to stay in their own home for as long as possible — and most can, with the right support. Home adaptations are a key part of that support. They range from simple, low-cost changes that anyone can arrange, to major works funded by statutory grants. The starting point for almost everything is an Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment.

Start With an OT Assessment

An Occupational Therapist is a healthcare professional trained to assess how a person's conditions affect their ability to manage daily tasks — and to recommend adaptations and equipment that address those difficulties. An OT assessment is:

• Free — available through the NHS or local council
• Comprehensive — covers the whole home and all relevant activities (bathing, toileting, cooking, moving around)
• The gateway to funded help — council adaptation schemes and the Disabled Facilities Grant both typically require an OT assessment as the basis for recommendations

To access an OT assessment, contact your local council's adult social care team or ask your GP for a referral. Waiting times vary — if you are willing to pay privately, a private OT assessment typically costs £150–300 but you will likely still need a local authority OT for the grant process.

Minor Adaptations — Free or Very Low Cost

Many councils provide minor adaptations free of charge — typically for items costing under £1,000. These include:

If your council does not provide minor adaptations free, the Red Cross, Age UK, and some charitable handyperson schemes can often help at low or no cost. Contact your local Age UK branch to find out what is available in your area.

Bathroom Adaptations

The bathroom is one of the highest-risk rooms in any home. Common adaptations beyond grab rails and seats include:

• Walk-in shower: Converting a bath to a level-access or walk-in shower removes the need to step over a bath edge. Cost: £500–3,000 depending on complexity. This can be funded through the Disabled Facilities Grant.
• Wet room: The most accessible bathroom option — the whole floor is waterproof with a drain, no shower tray to step into. Cost: £2,000–6,000. Can be DFG-funded.
• Walk-in bath: A bath with a door in the side that closes before filling. Less ideal than a walk-in shower — you must wait for the bath to drain before opening the door to get out. Cost: £1,500–3,500.
• Toilet raised or repositioned: If an existing toilet is in an awkward position, repositioning may be required as a major adaptation.

Stairlifts

A stairlift allows a person with reduced leg strength, joint pain, or breathlessness to travel between floors without using the stairs. Key facts:

• Cost: £2,000–5,000 for a straight stairlift (new). Curved staircases are significantly more expensive: £5,000–12,000.
• Reconditioned: Used stairlifts cost £1,000–2,500 but only fit specific stair dimensions — measure carefully.
• Rental: Short-term rental available from some providers if needs are temporary (e.g., post-operative).
• Funded: Can be funded through the Disabled Facilities Grant if the OT recommends it as essential.
• Maintenance: Annual service recommended (£80–150). Reliability is critical — breakdown leaves the person stranded.

Before installing a stairlift, consider whether the person's needs are likely to progress. If they currently struggle on stairs but manage once at the top, a stairlift may be appropriate for now. If you anticipate they will need to be based on one floor only within a few years, a through-floor lift may ultimately be more practical.

Through-Floor Lifts

A through-floor (or vertical platform) lift provides access between floors when a stairlift is not appropriate — for example, for wheelchair users, or where the staircase does not accommodate a stairlift. The lift travels through an opening cut in the floor.

• Cost: £6,000–15,000 installed, depending on travel height and specification
• Space required: Approximately 1m × 1.3m on each floor, plus structural work
• Funded: DFG-eligible if recommended by OT
• Maintenance: Annual service required; lift must be safe and serviced to maintain any warranty

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)

The Disabled Facilities Grant is a statutory grant from your local council to fund major adaptations for disabled people. It can fund up to £30,000 of adaptation work in England (£36,000 in some areas — amounts vary).

What it covers

• Widening doorways for wheelchair access
• Installing ramps
• Adapting bathroom facilities (wet room, level-access shower)
• Installing a stairlift or through-floor lift
• Improving heating or lighting where disability-related need is demonstrated
• Adapting kitchen facilities

Who qualifies

The DFG is means-tested (based on income and savings) for adults, but not for disabled children. For adults, the grant covers works up to the means-tested amount — if adaptations cost more than the grant calculation, you pay the difference. However, some councils have hardship schemes or top-up funding for people who cannot afford the excess.

How to apply

1. Contact adult social care at your local council and request an OT assessment
2. The OT recommends necessary adaptations and refers to the DFG team
3. A means test is carried out
4. Quotes are obtained (typically 2–3 from approved contractors)
5. Work is approved and carried out
6. Payment is made to the contractor on completion

Processing times vary widely — from a few weeks to six months or more in some councils. If urgency is genuine (e.g., the person has been discharged from hospital with immediate needs), ask the council to fast-track the process and whether any interim arrangements can be made.

Homeowners vs Renters

Homeowners can access the DFG and are responsible for ensuring their own property can accommodate the works. Most standard adaptations do not require planning permission, but structural work may require building regulations approval.

Private renters need their landlord's permission for adaptations. Landlords cannot unreasonably refuse a DFG-funded adaptation request from a disabled tenant. If the landlord refuses, Citizens Advice can advise on legal options.

Council or housing association tenants should contact their housing provider directly — many social landlords have adaptation programmes and maintenance teams who can carry out work, sometimes independently of the DFG process.