Step by step process for home adaptations
Step 3 - funding
Contents
- Introduction
- Step 1 - getting an OT assessment
- Step 2 - family consent for major home adaptations
- Step 3 - funding
- Step 4 - planning and quotes
- Step 5 - building work starts
- Step 6 - building work completed
If rehousing is not an option, then major home adaptations can proceed. The funding for this is from your local District or Borough (D/B) Council. This is in the form of a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG).
DFG fund major home adaptations to meet your child/young person's disability needs. For DFG approval, your child/young person's needs must fall within the DFG criteria.
The DFG funding has a nationally set limit of £30,000. D/B Councils have the discretion to provide funding above the DFG limit. Only some D/B Councils within Surrey offer this discretionary funding. The extra D/B Council funding may need you to complete a financial assessment. You can refer to your local D/B Council for further information on this. Visit our contact section for their details. DFG legislation allows for more than one DFG application, but not at that same time.
Surrey County Council (SCC) can also consider extra funding. The SCC funding can fund any shortfall in DFG and D/B Council discretionary funding. Before any work starts, all funding must in place. All major adaptations funding needs securing before building work starts. Retrospective funding is not available.
DFG eligibility (GOV.UK) can help you understand if you are eligible.
Your home situation
There are different processes to follow depending on your home situation:
- Owner occupied homes: Your child/young person's OT will request a DFG from your D/B Council (there is no means test for children)
- Private rented homes: Landlords need to provide permission for major home adaptations. Landlords can also request DFG funding for their properties. Please refer to step 2 for support on your rights as a tenant.
- Housing association homes: Some housing associations will fully fund major home adaptations. Some do not and request DFG funding. Some housing associations contribute a set amount towards major home adaptations.
- Council-owned homes: Some D/B Councils will fund major home adaptations. Others will not and will use DFG funding.
Rehousing
Landlords sometimes refuse major home adaptations. They can decline them because they consider them to be unreasonable. Please refer to step 2 for support on your rights as a tenant.
Some major home adaptations are not workable. The OT will recommend rehousing if either of these two outcomes occur.
Further costs of major home adaptations
D/B Council fees
Some D/B Councils apply a land charge for DFG funded adaptations on owner-occupied homes. A land charge can result in repayment of DFG funding to your D/B Council. Please check you D/B Council policy on this in the contact section of this website.
SCC fees
SCC does not request repayment of major home adaptation funding.
Project management/surveyor/architect fees
You will sign a contract with a project management company, surveyor or architect. Be aware, you are liable to incur their fees if the work does not progress to the DFG approval stage. DFG funds the fees past DFG approval stage.
Family preferred schemes
A family preferred scheme is building work where owner occupied homes are being adapted in excess of OT recommendations. The DFG legislation allows for this. The scheme must be confirmed by the OT that it meets your child/young person's needs in an alternative way. The D/B Council will also need to agree DFG funding can be put towards the family preferred scheme once OT approval for them is provided.
If you choose to install a family preferred scheme, then;
- D/B Council must agree for them to proceed in the first instance.
- The scheme must meet your child/young person's needs, which their OT will approve.
- D/B Council may or may not agree any more funding than the DFG limit toward the cost of the family preferred scheme.
- SCC can agree funding above the DFG limit. SCC will first request the cost of the DFG scheme. Then, if it exceeds the DFG £30,000 limit, the difference in costs will be offered. SCC reserves the right to offer this funding toward the family preferred scheme in place of a DFG scheme.
Combining family preferred schemes with OT recommended building work can be practical, and complicated. The OT and D/B Council supports in making family preferred schemes work for your child/young person and for you.
Please note: a family preferred scheme requires detailed negotiation on:
- the plans
- agreement on how funding will be applied to each element of the scheme
- how best to proceed with the work
- time for the above to reach agreement.
This ensures effective use of public funds by D/B Councils and SCC.
Example of a family preferred scheme
OT recommends through floor lift for upstairs bedroom and bathroom access. Approximate cost £20,000.
The family would alternatively like a ground floor extension and share their preferred scheme plans with the OT for approval.
OT approves family preferred scheme by confirming it also meets the child/young person's needs and refers to D/B Council for their approval.
D/B Council approves DFG funding contribution of £20,000 (which would have been the cost of the through floor lift.
All major adaptation costs above the £20,000 DFG funding contribution is family funded.
Be aware: The OT must approve any changes to the plans throughout the process. The OT ensures the work continues to meet the child/young person's needs.
The DFG funding is only provided at the end of the building work. Approval of the building work must be provided by the OT and the D/B Council grants team.
Other fee considerations
Some major home adaptations can increase the size of your home. This could increase your Council Tax banding and/or monthly rental amount. This would be worth checking before proceeding with any proposed adaptations.
The information above is a general guide. Specific details and processes may vary depending on your situation and council. For further clarification and support contact your council or relevant agencies. Details can be found in our contact section.