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Bank holiday information - Easter

Bank holiday information for our services, including opening times and emergency contacts. All recycling collections will take place on the usual days.

Grants and loans for making home adaptations

We can help elderly and disabled people to adapt their homes to better suit their needs.

Housing adaptations can be vital in enabling a person to remain living independently and safely in their own home and can transform a person's quality of life. Some people may need something as simple and easy to provide as a handrail. Others could need something much larger and more complex like an extension to their home or a through-floor lift.

Sometimes the simplest of adaptations, like handrails, can help enable someone to be discharged from hospital to live back home. Similarly, handrails and ramps can also help reduce the risk of trips and falls which may result in hospital admission in the first place.

Once a need has been assessed and adaptations identified, we will assist in providing the adaptation in a quick and efficient manner.

Types of adaptations available

Whether you own or rent your home, the basic arrangements will be the same. Whilst an individual's needs may include more than one type of adaptation, the service aims to provide the quickest, most effective solution to deliver the adaptations. The service provides adaptations under the definition of Minor, Medium or Large Adaptations - as defined within the Welsh Government Adaptation Service Standards March 2020.

1. Minor Adaptation (Discretionary Minor Adaptations Grant)

This category typically includes very simple and straightforward items such as:

  • grab rails and stair rails
  • small ramps
  • accessible taps
  • key safes

These adaptations are generally simple in nature and will typically be installed quickly, once the need has been identified. They won't require a means test. There is no requirement for an occupational therapist or trusted assessor assessment.

We will arrange for this work to be carried out by our partner agency Care and Repair Western Bay.

2. Medium Adaptation (Discretionary Fast Track Adaptations Grant)

This category covers some modifications or changes to the home (but not those requiring planning permission or structural changes) and includes items such as:

  • walk in shower
  • stair lifts
  • large ramps

This grant is no longer means tested and does not require a financial contribution to be provided by the grant applicant towards the cost of the works. They may require occupational therapist or trusted assessor assessment.

3. Large adaptation (Disabled Facilities Grant)

This category includes significant adaptations to the home which may involve structural changes, and could require planning permission, and includes things such as:

  • building an extension, for example to provide downstairs bedroom and/or bathroom
  • through-floor lift
  • significant internal structural modifications, for example to relocate bathroom or kitchen

Prompt action will be taken in all cases, but the timescale will reflect the steps which have to be taken in some cases, for example if planning permission is required.

All applications are means tested and may require a financial contribution towards part or all of the cost of the works by the grant applicant (with the exemption of disabled children and young people under the age of 19 who are dependent).

An occupational therapist will visit to carry out an assessment which will entail:

  • gathering information on your medical condition/disability
  • a discussion on how you manage daily living tasks around your home
  • the occupational therapist will need to observe you undertaking certain tasks to enable them to have a better understanding of your difficulties

Whilst every effort will be made to carry out a full assessment during the first visit, the occupational therapist may need to gather additional information before reaching a conclusion.

Where works are extensive and the cost of the works exceeds the available grant allowance available, other options may need to be considered including assisting you to move to a more suitable property if you are a home owner (through our Adapted Home Relocation Grant), or looking at alternative available funds to pay for the shortfall in the costs of the works including applicant's own funds or applying for our Discretionary Facilities Loan.

Who should I contact if I need an adaptation?

Contact our housing grants team Housing grants team

If you are a council tenant you can also contact your local area housing office.

 

Disabled Facilities Grants in the private rented sector

Disabled Facilities Grants are available to private rented sector tenants but will require your landlord to consent to the works. We are working with the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) (opens new window) on their national campaign to raise awareness of the benefits of adaptations to homes within the private rented sector: Making adaptations to your property (National Residential Landlords Association) (opens new window)

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