Disabled Facilities Grant

The following information provides details to questions frequently asked about the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG).

What is a Disabled Facilities Grant?

If you or someone in your home is disabled you may qualify for help towards the cost of providing adaptations and facilities, so that you or the disabled person can continue to live in your home.

These grants are provided by Woking Borough Council, on behalf of the Government.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) publication Disabled Facilities Grant will give you more information on how the grant works.

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Who can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

You can apply for a grant if you are:

  • a tenant or owner of a property
  • a landlord on behalf of a disabled tenant.

The person who applies for the grant does not have to be the disabled person who needs the adaptations.

However, the person applying for the grant will be asked to sign a certificate stating that the disabled person intends to occupy the home being adapted.

Whoever applies for the grant must produce a certificate of ownership or tenancy for the property the work is to take place in. 

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What type of work is eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Disabled Facilities Grants are given for essential adaptations that give a disabled person better freedom of movement around and use of their home.

The DCLG publication Disabled Facilities Grant will give you more information on the type of work that can be carried out using a Disabled Facilities Grant.

When a grant is available but the cost of the work exceeds the grant limit, it may be possible to access other sources of funding.

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What other assistance is available?

If you are a tenant and the property is in serious disrepair or unfit for human habitation your landlord may be able to apply for a Landlords Grant. Please contact us for more information.

For small scale work you should contact Homelink, the local Home Improvement Agency. It may be possible to access a Safe and Warm Grant for small scale work.

The Council can give you information on other grants that may be available and how to find ways to pay for work not covered by a grant.

This may include information on:

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Does the Council have to give me a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Yes, if supported by an occupational therapist report confirming that the work is:

  • necessary
  • appropriate

and the Council are happy that the work is:

  • reasonable
  • practicable.

The Council can decline a grant if it believes the scheme does not fit these criteria.

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How is the Disabled Facilities Grant calculated?

The grant is means tested and is usually determined by the income and capital (including shares and other forms of investment) of:

  • the disabled person, and
  • the disabled persons spouse or partner.

A grant where the adaptations are for a disabled child is not means tested. 

The means test will take into account:

  • a person's average weekly income
  • any savings above a set amount.

If your resources are less than your assessed basic needs you will qualify for a grant (provided the works are recommended by an Occupational Therapist).

If your resources are more than your assessed needs you can be given information on how to access other forms of funding for some of the work costs and possibly a grant for the remainder of the costs.

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How do I apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Contact the Grants team at the Council's Civic Offices for a preliminary assessment form. They will be able to tell you what supporting documents you may need.

Please let the Grants team know if the work is urgent.

You are not likely to get any grant if you have started work before the Council has approved your application.

You will need to make sure that any building regulation approval or planning permission has been granted before you start work.

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How will the Disabled Facilities Grant be paid?

The Council may pay the grant in instalments as the work progresses or make one payment once all the work has been completed.

Your grant will only be paid when the Council is satisfied that the work has been satisfactorily completed in accordance with the grant approval and on receipt of an invoice, appropriate safety certificates, warranties and completion notices.

The grant is usually paid directly to the contractor or in a form that you can pay them once the work has been completed.

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Contact Us

If you would like more information, please contact the Private Sector Grants Team on 01483 743660 or email: housinggrants@woking.gov.uk