Disabled Facility Grants (DFG)

If you are disabled making changes to your home will become a necessity and not only that it will no doubt be expensive. Fortunately though help is available by way of a “Disabled Facilities Grant” (DFG) via your local council.

What is a Disabled Facility Grant (DFG)

A Disabled Facility Grant is provided by your Local Council to help fund the cost required to adapt your home should you become disabled. It can help with a range of different adaptations including access ramps and stairlifts.

Eligibility

A Disabled Facility Grant will only be authorised if a member of the household is registered as disabled. Landlords can also apply for the grant if they have a disabled tenant although your tenant must plan to stay in the property for at least 5 years. The grant money may have to be returned if the tenant vacates during the 5 year period.

Your local authority would have to carry out a survey to make sure the alterations you want to make are required so do not start knocking walls down and making alterations until you have authorisation from the council.

Applying for a DFG

You should first contact the relevant department at your local authority and they will send you an application form, fill it in and send it back ASAP to get the wheels in motion.

The Disabled Facility Grant application will require you to answer some basic questions related to your personal details ie why you require a stairlift and why you need help with the funding of your home stairlift along with two written estimates from reputable stairlift suppliers.

Once you have submitted your Disabled Facility Grant for a Stairlift the council will process your application and decide if you are eligible for a stairlift grant and if so how much depending on the work required.

Payment of the Disabled Facility Grant

The grant will normally be paid in one sum after completion of the work. The exception would be if you are having extensive renovations carried out then you may receive instalments.

Your payment plan will be advised on approval of your application.