Disabled Facilities Grants improve residents’ lives

The council’s Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) scheme continues to help support residents who need home adaptations.

Between October and December 2024, 30 DFGs were approved for 42 adaptations, totalling almost £350,000. This included three DFGs for children. 19 were for housing association properties, six for private landlords and five owner occupiers.

During the same period, 38 DFGs were completed for 58 adaptations, totalling more than £670,000. This included 20 in housing association properties, 14 owner occupiers and four private landlords. Seven were through the discretionary DFG policy. One of these was for a major adaptation which was an extension including downstairs bedroom, bathroom and an external lift.

Last year a DFG helped a resident who needed an urgent home adaptation. The older resident was living on only one floor of her home after a recent operation. When her son was due to have his own hospital stay, she needed a stairlift and accessible bath.

From the initial request for an urgent visit to the installation of the stairlift, the process was completed in a week. This meant the resident was able to stay at home rather than having to go into respite care.

A DFG is a grant of up to £30,000, they are means-tested and allow homeowners or tenants to have adaptations to their homes allowing them better freedom of movement and to give access to essential facilities within the home. The funding is provided by the government and can only be spent on making adaptations to homes.

Cllr Glenn Haffenden, deputy leader and lead councillor for housing and community wellbeing, said: “The work that our housing improvements team does is making a real difference to residents’ lives, the quick work to get the funding and work agreed is a great example of this. Making adaptations to homes can literally change someone’s life, and our housing renewals team is always keen to help make these changes where possible. If making adaptations to your home would make it easier for you to stay and not have to move, please have a look at the DFG scheme to see if it could help you.”

You can find out more about Disabled Facilities Grants and the process of applying on our DFG webpages.