Help to adapt your home
The Home Improvement Agency works in partnership with the Community Therapy Service to provide home adaptations for people who have disabilities. You may be eligible to receive a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to fund this work.
The DFG helps people who have disabilities to make essential changes to their homes, making it safer and easier to get around and manage everyday tasks. Adapting your home can support independent living, privacy, confidence, and dignity for you and your family.
Please note: We currently only place a charge on the property for works if you receive a grant over £5,000 to extend the property or convert to a non-habitable part of the property (outbuildings, garages, external stores and loft space).
Who is eligible to receive a Disabled Facilities Grant?
You can apply for a grant if you:
- Own your own home or rent a home
- Have someone living in the property who has a long-term health condition or disability
- Intend to live in the property for the grant condition period of at least 5 years
Your eligibility must be assessed by a suitably trained professional, such as an Occupational Therapist (OT). They will work with you to identify the most suitable solutions for your needs.
What kind of adaptation can the grant fund?
National guidance sets out what the grant can fund. This includes:
- Helping you to access your home or garden
- Making your property safer
- Helping you to access a living room or a bedroom
- Helping you to access a toilet, bath, shower or handbasin
- Helping you to prepare or cook food
- Helping you to manage your heating, lighting or power within your home
- Helping you to care for other people
Every adaptation is tailored to your specific needs to support your independence and comfort.
The Home Improvement Agency will carefully consider whether the proposed works are both necessary to meet your specific needs and appropriate for your home. This ensures that the adaptations provide a practical, cost-effective solution to help you live more safely and independently.
In partnership with your Occupational Therapist, we will assess your circumstances, the condition and structure of your property, and the long-term benefits of the proposed changes.
How much money can be provided through a Disabled Facilities Grant?
If you are eligible, you could receive grant funding to cover the cost of your assessed needs up to a maximum of £30,000. This amount can cover costs like legal or agency fees.
The amount of funding you are awarded is assessed through a means test and depends on your household income and savings. Only the income and savings of the disabled person and their spouse or partner are considered.
You won't have to contribute towards the cost if you receive the following means-tested benefits:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Income-based Employment and Support Allowance
- Guarantee Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit
- Income-based Job Seekers Allowance
Children and young people under 19 years of age, for whom child benefit is still payable are not means-tested and therefore will be eligible for the Disabled Facilities Grant.
The Occupational Therapist can request a means test as part of their assessment to help you decide if you would like to apply for a grant.
If you receive a grant of over £5,000 to extend your home or convert to a non-habitable part of the property for example, outbuildings or a garage into living space, a charge may be applied to your property.
How can I apply for an adaptation to my home?
- To check your eligibility for support and be sure that you would like to adapt your home, you can firstly use the self-assessment tool at AdaptMyHome.org.uk (opens new window)
- Once you are sure that you would like to adapt your home, you can request an assessment from the council's Community Therapy Service. You can do this online by visiting The Community Therapy Service (opens new window) or by telephoning the council's Health and Wellbeing Team on 0191 520 5552
- On completion of your assessment, your therapist will work with you to complete your referral to the Home Improvement Agency
What happens after my referral has been received by the Home Improvement Agency?
- Once your case is received by the Home Improvement Agency you will be assigned a caseworker who will fully support you through the grant process
- Your appointed caseworker will visit your home and will work with you to establish how the works will be funded. You will need bank statements, pay slips, pension statements and benefit letters for both you and your partner
- Your caseworker will discuss with you the proposed works and any support measures you may need to support you when the works start. If you have a contractor you would like to work with, the caseworker will explore if it is possible to arrange this for you
- Surveyors may visit your home to assess feasibility and will work with you to draw up plans and create a schedule of works. Where required, they'll help with planning permission or building regulations approval
- You will be informed in writing about the final decision on your grant application. It is important that you do not start any work to your home after you have finalised your application as this may change the outcome of the decision
- If you are in agreement with the proposed scheme and you are eligible to receive a Disabled Facilities Grant, the funds will be released to start the work as soon as they become available
If you need to speak to your caseworker or someone from the service, you can call our single point of contact on 0191 561 4355
What happens when the works to my home start?
- A contractor will be appointed, and will agree a suitable start date with you, the start date will be arranged within 12 months of your application being agreed
- After the work is completed, we will contact you and arrange an inspection to ensure that the works are complete to the required standard
- Upon satisfactory completion of the works your grant award will be paid directly to the contract
Will I have to pay any money back?
- If you own your property and receive a grant over £5,000 to extend the property or convert to a non-habitable part of the property (outbuildings, garages, external stores and loft space) you may need to repay some of the grant if you sell or transfer the property within 10 years
- The amount repaid will not exceed £10,000
Can I use my own contractor?
- The Home Improvement Agency has a list of accredited contractors to use for the works to ensure quality and compliance
- If you would like to use your own contractor, please discuss this with your caseworker
What if I don't qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant?
- If you don't qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant, you may need to fund the work yourself
- Further information about other discretionary grants or assistance is available in Sunderland City Council's Housing Financial Assistance Policy (opens new window)
Can I apply again if my needs change?
- Yes, if your circumstances change, you can apply for another grant for the same property
Do I need planning permission?
- Some adaptations may require planning permission or building regulations approval. Your surveyor will help navigate this process if needed
Who can I contact for updates?
- Your assigned caseworker is your main point of contact for any queries or updates. You can contact them on 0191 561 4355
Is there a complaints procedure?
- Both the council and Sunderland Care and Support have a complaints procedure
- You can find out more about the council's complaints procedure and register your complaint at How to complain about a council service (opens new window)
- You can find out more about Sunderland Care and Support's complaints procedure and register your complaint at Sunderland Care and Support - Making a complaint (opens new window)
Where can I get further information?
- Government guidance about Disabled Facilities Grants can be found at Disabled Facilities Grants (GOV.UK) (opens new window)
