GrantRadar

Havant Borough Council

Disabled Facilities Grant

Havant Borough Council's mandatory grant, up to £30,000 per applicant, for essential adaptations that let disabled people live more independently at home. Applicants must first be assessed by a Hampshire occupational therapist. It is means tested except for disabled children and young people and people on passporting benefits, and the council also offers discretionary assistance such as top-up, stairlift and urgent adaptation grants.

Apply on the funder’s site
You could get
Amount not specified
no fixed round
Deadline
Rolling
apply any time
Effort
Moderate
full application with documents

Who can apply

  • Havant residents who have been assessed and confirmed as having a permanent and substantial disability, and assessed by a Hampshire Adult or Children's Services occupational therapist as eligible for home adaptations
  • Homeowners, housing association tenants and private tenants can apply, including people living with family; landlords can apply for an occupant who is registered or eligible to register as disabled
  • A financial means test of the disabled person and partner applies, except for a child under 16, a young person under 19 in full-time education, or people on a passporting benefit (e.g. Housing Benefit)
  • Any contribution is paid directly to the contractor before work starts
  • Where the grant exceeds £5,000 in an owner-occupied home, a local land charge is registered for 10 years and the amount over £5,000 (up to £10,000) must be repaid if the home is disposed of in that time

What it funds

Work an occupational therapist considers necessary and appropriate, such as stairlifts, level access showers, making the home wheelchair accessible and, where there is no other way to reach essential facilities, extending the home. The criteria are:

  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant to and from their home or the building in which their home is situated
  • Making the home safe for the disabled occupant
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant to the main family room
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant to, or providing, a room used for sleeping
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant to, or providing a room in which there is, a lavatory, or facilitating the use of this facility
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant to or providing a room in which there is a bath or shower and a wash basin or facilitating the use of such facilities
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant for the preparation and cooking of food within the home
  • Improving, or making more suitable, an existing heating system to meet the needs of the disabled occupant, or if there is no existing heating system, providing one
  • Facilitating the use by the disabled occupant of a source of power, light or heat by altering the access to, or control of that source, or by providing additional means of control
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant around the home to enable them to care for another person who normally lives there and is in need of such care
  • Facilitating access by the disabled occupant to the garden: a safe route with an accessible doorway and a level area within the immediate garden area

discretionary assistance includes an applicant's contribution disregard, top-up grant, abortive fees grant, critical repairs grant, specialist equipment replacement grant, disability repair grants, stairlift grants and urgent adaptation grant

What it will not fund

  • Access to all or the furthest parts of the garden
  • Adaptations to Portsmouth City Council properties (tenants should contact Portsmouth City Council as landlord)

How to apply

  1. Get a referral to Occupational Therapy Direct (adults: 0300 555 1378 or the online referral form; children and young people: 0300 555 1384 or childrens.services@hants.gov.uk)
  2. An occupational therapist assesses your needs and, if appropriate, refers you to Havant Borough Council
  3. If the referral is reasonable and practicable, the council sends a grant application form with a preliminary test of resources; return it promptly or the case may be closed
  4. Provide quotes for stair-lifts or through-floor lifts if requested (your OT can help)
  5. A grants officer (and in complex cases the OT, an architect or builder) visits to decide the most practicable and reasonable solution

you can appeal if the referral is not approved

Have ready

  • Completed grant application form with preliminary test of resources
  • Proof of all incomes and savings (for the means test)
  • Quotes for stair-lifts or through-floor lifts, where relevant

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