Disabled Facilities Grant and Housing Assistance Policy

A safe and suitable home can help people of all ages and abilities to build and sustain their independence and maintain connections in their community. The government’s ambition is to give more people the choice to live independently and healthily in their own homes for longer, with fewer people staying in hospital unnecessarily or moving to residential care prematurely when that is not what they want.

Homes which are in good repair and are easy to keep warm will reduce the risk of accidents, poor health, and hospital admissions. Home adaptations which make everyday tasks easier for older and disabled people can reduce the amount of formal care and support an individual may require, as well as protecting the health of individuals and their carers.

A Disabled Facilities Grant is a sum of money that can be given by a Council to a disabled person to make changes to their home, to make it more suitable for their needs.

The Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 sets out who is able to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, what work this can be given for, how much can be given and how applications must be processed.

Since 2015, Government has provided ‘Disabled Facilities Grant’ (DFG) funding to local authorities through the Better Care Fund (BCF). This sum of money must be spent in accordance with conditions set out by NHS England and local BCF plans, which are agreed between local government and local health commissioners and owned by the Health and Wellbeing Board.