What is an adaptation?
If you are disabled there may be physical barriers that make it difficult for you to carry out ordinary day-to-day activities. Adaptations to the design of your home can give you better access in and around your home and help you use essential facilities.
Typical major adaptations include:
- Stair lifts and through floor lifts
- Ramps, rails and step lifts
- Door widening for wheel chair access
- Adapting kitchens by providing low level units
- Level access showers and other bathroom alterations
- Improving heating
- In some cases, only minor alterations are needed: grab rails, hand rails or lever taps.
How we can help:
Minor Adaptations
For a minor adaptation you need to ring our Customer Service Centre 01926 410410. They will assess your level of need and, if appropriate, arrange for a member of staff to visit you and decide if a minor adaptation is required. If a minor adaptation is required you will agree when the fitting will be done and who will do it. After the work is complete we will check that you are then able to manage safely.
Major Adaptations
Again you need to call the Customer Service Centre 01926 410410 and they will arrange for an Occupational Therapist (OT) to visit you to discuss together the best course of action to meet your needs.
If appropriate the Occupational Therapist will write a letter with recommendations to the appropriate District or Borough Council to assist you in making an application to your local Borough or District Council for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) - see website addresses to the right of this page. If you qualify to receive a grant, the Occupational Therapist will support you in progressing the work that needs to be done.
Disabled Faclities Grants are available to owner/occupiers and private sector tenants. The grant is a means tested mandatory grant, with a maximum amount per application of £30,000.
The amount of grant you get will depend on your income, savings and investments. District or borough council officers use this information to determine how much you can afford to pay towards the cost of the adaptations.
The proposed scheme must be supported from an Adult Social Care (previously Social Services') Occupational Therapist (OT). The Occupational Therapist will make their assessment and their recommendations in line with “fair access to care” and DFG criteria.
For more details on Disabled Facilities Grants please see your local district or borough council website via the links on the right hand side of this page.
Wherever possible, and to ensure that public money is properly spent, the Council in conjunction with the Occupational Therapist will seek to carry out the most cost-effective adaptation to the property which adequately meets your needs. Usually this means that an adaptation is carried out within the existing structure of your home.
They will be able to advise on the length of time this process will take as this varies from Council to Council.
Again, you will know when the work will be done, who will do it and your Occupational Therapist will check, when it is completed, that your needs are then met.
If you do not qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant, other ways of receiving financial support will be discussed with you and a new plan of action agreed. | |