Disabled Facilities Grant

What the DFG Can Fund

The DFG must fund adaptations that are necessary and appropriate to meet the disabled person's needs, and reasonable and practicable given the property:

• Ramps and widened doorways for wheelchair access
• Grab rails and handrails at stairs, toilet, bath
• Stairlifts and through-floor lifts
• Level-access showers or wet rooms
• Bathroom or toilet adaptations
• Specialised kitchen adaptations
• Heating system improvements for disability-related reasons
• Care technology and assistive devices (in some cases)

The DFG does not fund cosmetic improvements or general home repairs — only disability-related adaptations.

Who Can Apply

The DFG is available to:

• Owner-occupiers — you own the property
• Private tenants — you rent from a private landlord (landlord's consent required)
• Housing association tenants — contact your housing association first; they may fund adaptations themselves
• Council tenants — contact your council's housing team; adaptations may be arranged differently

The grant is for the disabled person — it doesn't matter who owns the property. The disabled person must be a resident of the property being adapted.

The Means Test

The DFG is means-tested — but only on the disabled person's income and savings, not their family's. If a carer or family member owns the property, their finances are not included in the test.

The means test calculates how much you can contribute. For many people with limited income and savings, the full grant amount is provided. For those with higher incomes or significant savings, a contribution may be required.

Children under 19 and adults whose condition means they are unlikely to live independently in the future are completely exempt from the means test.

How to Apply — Step by Step

1. 1

   Contact Your Local Council

   Call your local council and ask for the DFG application process. Some councils have a dedicated adaptations team; others route through adult social care or housing. You can find your council at gov.uk/find-local-council.

2. 2

   Occupational Therapist Assessment

   An OT assessment is required to identify what adaptations are necessary. The OT may be arranged by the council, or you can request an NHS OT referral through your GP. The OT's recommendation supports your application.

3. 3

   Formal Application

   Submit the application with supporting information — OT recommendation, your income/savings information for the means test, quotes for the work if required.

4. 4

   Council Decision

   The council must approve or reject the application within 6 months of receiving a complete application. In practice, many councils take considerably less time.

5. 5

   Works Completed

   Once approved, an approved contractor carries out the adaptation work. The grant is paid directly to the contractor (or to you in some cases). The council may specify approved contractors.

Timescales

DFG timescales vary significantly by council — from a few months to over a year. If your need is urgent (e.g., just been discharged from hospital), tell the council and ask whether emergency or fast-track funding is available.

Some councils have discretionary grant schemes that can fund urgent minor adaptations more quickly, while the full DFG application is processed.

If Costs Exceed £30,000

If the adaptations you need cost more than the £30,000 maximum:

• Ask the council whether any additional discretionary top-up funding is available
• Some councils have a Better Care Fund which can supplement the DFG
• Condition-specific charities may have grants that can contribute
• You may need to fund the remainder yourself, or consider whether moving to a more accessible property would be more cost-effective