Disabled facilities grants

you could get help with the cost of adapting your home. This could help you to use your home better and be more independent. A grant could also help carers manage more easily.

What can I get help for?

Things which will give you the freedom to move into and around your home such as:
- ramps
- step lifts for wheelchairs
- stair lifts
- lifts from one floor to another
- level and low access showers
- ground floor bedrooms
- ground floor bathrooms
- widening internal doorways
- hoisting equipment

For those who have a a permanent and substantial disability

difficulty managing everyday tasks

If the grant is for anyone under the age of 18, you don't have to pay.

If you receive any of these benefits, you probably won't have to pay:
- Income Support
- Universal Credit
- Income based employment and support allowance, not contribution based (your benefit award letter will tell you which type you are receiving)
- Guarantee Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit as long as the - income your entitlement is assessed on is less than £15,860

Anyone over 18 will be means tested, to see if they should make a contribution.

Conditions

We won't refund any money for work that started before the grant was approved in writing.

We will only pay for certain products up to an agreed price. If you want a more expensive product, or you want some extra work doing, you will have to pay for it yourself.

The maximum grant you could get would be £30,000

There may be additional funding for works costing over £30,000 up to a maximum of £100,000

If you rent your home, you will have to have your landlord's permission for the grant to go ahead

Property charges

If you get a grant of more than £5,000, and the work involves an extension or garage conversion, then a Local Land Charge is registered. This charge lasts for 10 years. It means that if you sell your home within 10 years of the work being completed, you will have to pay back some of the grant. The most you would have to pay back would be £10,000. This only applies to owner occupied properties.

You need to be referred by Social Services to qualify for a grant. To do this, you need an assessment by an Occupational Therapist.

To arrange an assessment, contact Lancashire County Council on 0300 123 6720.

Who organises the work?

We can provide an agency service to manage the grant until it is complete. This includes:
- Drawing up full plans and specifications
- getting all the right permissions and certification
- appointing approved contractors
- supervising the work

Alternatively, you can arrange for your own contractor to carry out the work.