Disabled facilities grants and social housing

Solutions and support to make sure your child has the right accommodation when returning home following injury or accident

• If your child has suffered from a serious accident or injury, or suffers from a disability their accommodation may no longer be suitable
• It is therefore likely that alternative accommodation or adaptations will be needed so your child can carry on with his/her everyday life
• We can support you and your child throughout the whole process from the initial assessment through to ensuring your child returns to a home that is fit for their needs

Assisting you and your child with your application for a disabled facilities grant

When your child returns home from the hospital after an accident or illness, it will always be difficult. Your house may require a range of adaptations in order for your child to continue to live there comfortably and safely. Typically, this can include the following:

• Access to and from a property including ramps and lifts
• Getting a bathroom changed to a wet room
• Kitchen adaptations so that you can cook and prepare food
• Improving or providing a suitable heating system
• Easier access to the garden

Completing all this work can be an expensive process, but there is a source of funding available from your local authority.

If you own the property you are living in or you are a tenant, then you may be eligible to receive a Disability Facilities Grant (DFG) which is designed to fund the home adaptations that you may need, provided that you intend to continue living there for the period of the grant (currently 5 years).

The DFG is provided and administered by the housing department at your local authority. As long as all the relevant conditions are met, housing departments are obliged to approve DFG applications up to a maximum of £30,000. Some housing departments have the discretion to exceed this in certain circumstances.

The assessment process can be tricky, and disputes frequently arise concerning the adaptations proposed. For this reason, many find the assessment process an uphill struggle.

We are experienced in helping families through what can be a daunting process, ensuring the home they return to is fit for their needs.

Supporting you and your child in the process of social housing allocation

If you need to move urgently because of a sudden disability, the Housing Act specifically requires housing authorities to give you additional preference or priority within their allocation scheme.

This is another area where disputes can frequently arise regarding allocation and affording reasonable preference, especially where there is a shortage of social housing and/or adapted housing stock.

We are here to support families and individuals during this process, making sure your accommodation is right for you.

We have offices in Richmond, London, Guildford, Southampton, Lymington and Woking and we operate on a national level, helping families right across the country. Contact us for more information.