Disabled facilities grants

Do you need equipment or adaptations so that you can live independently, or be cared for at home?

A disabled facilities grant can pay for ramps, stairlifts, level access showers or any other adaptation which helps you get around your home more easily.

Grants are available for owner/occupiers, private tenants, and housing association tenants.

An application involves:

• An assessment of your needs by an occupational therapist from social services
• A financial assessment of your income and savings to determine the amount of grant to be paid (grants for disabled children under 19 are not subject to means testing).

Disabled Facilities Grants in Leicestershire a Guide for Home Owners and Private Tenants May 2011 (PDF Document, 0.23 Mb)

http://www.healthandcareleicestershire.co.uk/health-and-care-integration/integrated-housing-support/

We’re working in partnership with Lightbulb who administer our Disabled Facilities Grants, though the process for making a referral is listed below. For additional information about what they do, visit the website.

Step by step guide to applying

Step one - enquiry and first visit (assessment)

The first step is to apply online thorugh Social Services at https://customerportal.leics.gov.uk/web/portal/pages/help/apply

if you cannot apply online please call them on 0116 305 0004

You will be asked for your:

• Name
• Address
• Doctor
• Date of birth
• Details of the difficulties you are experiencing in your home.

You will be visited by either a care worker or occupational therapist from social services, who will help assess your needs around your home. If you require a major adaptation to your home, they will agree to refer your case to us for a disabled facilities grant.

Step two - Preliminary test of resources

The council will use the details that you provide on the green preliminary test of resources form to calculate whether you have any contribution to make towards the adaptation. You'll get a letter to let you know whether you qualify for a grant and whether you are likely to have any contribution to pay.

PLEASE NOTE: this is only a provisional indication of your contribution and you will have to provide more detailed financial information when the formal application forms are completed.

From December 2005, The Disabled Facilities Grant for children (under 19 years) with disabilities are not means tested.

Step three - scheme design

Your case will then be allocated to an officer, who will design the scheme that you require. The officer will visit you, accompanied by social services

After the visit, the officer will prepare a schedule of the proposed adaptations to your home.

If a larger scheme is required then a specialist architect will be employed to design and draw the scheme up. This is the responsibility of the applicant but social services will assist with this element.

Step four - agreement of the proposed scheme

Once the schedule of works has been produced, a copy will be sent to the occupation therapist, for their approval.

You will then be sent three copies of the schedule for you to obtain quotations for the work.

It is important to remember that the contract for the works is between yourself and the contractor. Should you require any help or advice on contractors then contact us on 01530 454581. At this stage you will also be sent all the forms necessary for you to make a full application for grant assistance.

If an architect has been employed then you will be asked to sign the drawings. If you are not happy with the scheme, you should discuss your concerns with the occupational therapist or the grant officer.

When the scheme has been agreed, the architect will arrange for them to be submitted for planning consent or building regulation approval, if this is required - this could take several weeks.

Step five - contractor's visit

Once the schedule of work has been agreed, you will need to obtain quotations from at least two building contractors for minor works and at least three for major works. Contractors will have three weeks to submit their prices for the work required. They may wish to arrange to visit your home before they provide a quotation to look at what is required.

Remember: do not let someone in that you are not expecting. If in doubt, call the council to check.

When the contractor's quotations are received by the council, the grant officer will check their accuracy and value for money. The council will need to receive the relevant valid quotations before they can proceed with your application.

Step six - the formal application

After quotations have been received, and your application forms are returned along with your supporting financial information we will be in a position to approve the grant. All information provided is confidential.

When the application has been completed and processed the council will send you a letter confirming that your grant has been approved. The official approval document explains how much the grant is for, who the contractor is and, if you have a contribution to pay, exactly how much it will be.

Step seven - getting the work done

Following approval of your grant, you will need to advise the contractor that the grant has been approved and arrange a start date for the work, which is convenient for you both.

The amount of time the work takes to complete will depend on the type of adaptation to your home. The contractors will do their utmost to complete the work quickly and with minimum disruption as possible.

NB It is important that you do not make any changes to the agreed scheme or ask the contractor to carry out any extra work without consulting the council's grant officer, you will be liable to pay for the cost of any work that is carried out without authorisation from the council.

Step eight - final inspection visit

When the work has been completed, the grant officer will arrange to visit your home to ensure that the adaptation has been completed to the required standard and arrange for any defects to be rectified by the contractor before final payment is made. When all parties are satisfied you will be asked to sign a "claim for payment form" so that payment can be processed. At this point, if you have a contribution to pay, the contractor will send you an invoice direct.

On completion of the adaptation, the occupational therapist may wish to re visit you to check that it is suitable and has met your needs as intended.

Enjoy using your new adaptation - we hope it will make life easier for you.

Target timescales

STEP 1 to 2 - allow up to 10 weeks from enquiry, for assessment and referral to the council.

STEPS 3 to 4 - allow up to two weeks for you case to be allocated to a grant officer and a further eight weeks for the drawing and specification to be produced and agreed with yourself and social services

STEP 5 - The tendering process will take approximately four weeks

STEP 6 - Allow a further two weeks from receipt of tenders for completion of your formal application forms and approval of your grant

STEP 7 - 8 - The builder should aim to start work within eight weeks of approval, depending on weather, time of year and workload.

STEP 8 - Depending on the nature of the adaptation, this may vary from five to seven days for a level access shower up to three months for a major building project.