Make major adaptations to your home (Disabled Facilities Grant)

If you live in Kingston and have a disability, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facility Grant to help you live safely and independently at home.

About the grant

If you're finding it difficult to move around your home due to a disability, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facility Grant (DFG). 

This grant can help with costs related to making your home more accessible and suitable for your needs.

Large adaptations you can make to your home with the grant

The DFG can help pay for big changes to make your home more accessible, including but not limited to:

  • widening doors to allow for better access
  • fitting ramps for easier entry and exit
  • installing lifts to help you get upstairs
  • adapting bathrooms to aid independence
  • installing a wet room to improve accessibility

Who can get the grant

The DFG is available for residents in Kingston who:

  • own your own home and live in it
  • rent privately or from a housing association
  • are struggling to move around their home due to a disability
  • intend to live in the property during the grant period (usually 5 years but this can be shorter, for example, if the person is terminally ill)

How to get a DFG

Contact the occupational therapy (OT) team for an assessment

To get the grant, you’ll need a referral which you can get after taking an occupational therapy (OT) assessment.

Your GP or hospital can refer you to the OT team, but you can also contact the OT team yourself on 020 8547 5005 and ask for an assessment.

If the OT team decides that big changes to your home are necessary to help you live safely and independently, they may make a referral on your behalf for the Disabled Facilities Grant.

What happens after you’re referred for a grant

If you’re referred for a grant, our partner the Home Improvement Agency will visit your property to check if they can make the changes to your home. 

If they confirm they can make the changes to your home, you’ll be told in writing:

  • what adaptations will be made that can be covered by the grant
  • if you have to contribute towards the cost of any changes to your home

Making a contribution to the costs of adaptations

Even if you’re granted a DFG, you may have to pay for some of the costs of the work needed in your home. The Home Improvement Agency will assess your income and any benefits you receive to work out if you need to contribute and how much you may need to pay. 

Your contribution to any adaptation costs is based on a fair assessment of your income and benefits, ensuring our support is accessible to those who need it most. Find out more about how the grant is managed.

If you’re not eligible for the DFG

If you’re not eligible for the DFG and you’re receiving benefits, you might be able to apply for a home improvement grant or loan.

Other help at Kingston

Besides home adaptations, we can help you in other ways, including advice on:

Last Modified: 14/05/2024 10:22:15