Maidstone Borough Council

Disabled Facilities Grant and Top-up Grant (Maidstone)

Maidstone's disabled adaptations grant (the Disabled Facilities Grant) pays up to £30,000 towards adapting the home of a disabled homeowner or tenant so they can live safely and independently, for example level-access showers, better access to rooms or kitchen changes. It is means tested unless the work is for a disabled child. A discretionary top-up grant of up to £10,000 is also available to owner occupiers, repayable if the property is sold. Applications start with a referral to Kent County Council's Occupational Therapy Service.

Apply on the funder’s site

You could get: Up to £30,000; no fixed round
Deadline: Rolling; apply any time
Effort: Moderate; full application with documents

Who can apply

Homeowners and tenants in Maidstone borough where they or someone they live with has a disability
Applications are means tested on the income and savings of the disabled person and their partner or spouse, unless the work is for a disabled child
The disabled person must intend to live in the property for a reasonable length of time after the grant
The discretionary top-up grant is for owner occupiers only, must be repaid if the property is sold or ownership transferred, and is registered as a local land charge

What it funds

Adaptations that make it easier for a disabled person to live safely and independently at home, which may include:

Improving access into and out of the property
Making it easier to access the living room, bedroom or bathroom
Providing a suitable bathroom, such as a level-access shower
Changing kitchen facilities to meet the person's needs
Top-up grant (up to £10,000, owner occupiers): repairs needed before Disabled Facilities Grant work can be done
Top-up grant: up to £1,000 towards your contribution to a Disabled Facilities Grant, if you cannot afford to pay it and cannot borrow the money
Top-up grant: extra costs if the adaptations cost more than the maximum Disabled Facilities Grant amount and you cannot afford to pay the difference
Top-up grant: essential adaptations recommended by an occupational therapist that are not covered by the Disabled Facilities Grant
Top-up grant: reasonable moving costs if an occupational therapist says your home cannot be adapted and moving to another home in the borough is the best option
Top-up grant: urgent adaptations recommended by an occupational therapist or trusted assessor, if you cannot get funding elsewhere or borrow the money

How to apply

Optionally complete a self-assessment on the AdaptMyHome website
Get a referral from the Kent County Council Occupational Therapy Service (adults or children), who will assess your needs - phone 03000 41 61 61 or email social.services@kent.gov.uk
The local Home Improvement Agency can help you get quotes from contractors, fill in the grant application and oversee the work once approved

it is still worth applying if you do not qualify on the means test; any contribution you are asked to make may be taken into account for later applications

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