Ashfield District Council

Disabled Facilities Grant (Ashfield)

The statutory Disabled Facilities Grant from Ashfield District Council: up to £30,000 towards adapting a privately owned or rented home so a disabled person can live independently, such as ramps, level-access showers, stairlifts, hoists and extensions. Nottinghamshire County Council's occupational therapists assess the need and refer applicants to Ashfield. Adults are means tested unless on a passporting benefit; there is no means test for disabled children. The council's policy also allows a discretionary top-up of up to £20,000 where eligible works cost more than £30,000.

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

Residents of Ashfield District (Nottinghamshire) in private housing: disabled owner-occupiers, landlords whose tenant is disabled, and (under the council's policy) private tenants with the landlord's written permission; houseboat and park home occupiers can also apply with consent certificates
Ashfield council tenants are helped separately through the council's own adaptations service
The disabled occupant must live in the property as their only or main home for the 5-year grant condition period
A full means test of average weekly income and savings applies to adults; people on passporting benefits are exempt and get the full grant, and there are no financial checks for families of disabled children under 19
If an owner's grant exceeds £5,000 and the property is sold within 10 years, the council may require repayment of up to £10,000

What it funds

Adaptations to a home to enable independent living, including:

Access such as concrete and modular ramps
Level access showers
Stair lifts or through floor lifts
Ceiling track hoists
Door widening
Bedroom and bathroom extensions

the council's Aids and Adaptations Policy also covers making the home safe, access to a room for sleeping, a bathroom or the kitchen, and heating, lighting and power adapted to the disabled person's needs.

discretionary help in the policy includes a top-up of up to £20,000 where eligible works exceed £30,000, help for one home where a disabled child's residency is split between parents (up to £30,000, not means tested), and a relocation grant of up to £5,000 towards moving costs where the current home cannot reasonably be adapted. Discretionary help depends on the council's available resources.

What it will not fund

Works already completed
Works started before approval (not usually approved unless there were good reasons)
Equipment that can be installed and removed easily with little or no structural change (supplied by Nottinghamshire County Council instead)
Higher or more complex specifications than the basic specification needed (the applicant pays the difference)
Replacing defective equipment that can be repaired at reasonable cost
Heating in rooms not normally used by the disabled person
The purchase price of a new property (relocation grant)

How to apply

Contact Nottinghamshire County Council's Customer Service Centre on 0300 500 8080 and explain that you are finding it difficult to use or access your home
A Nottinghamshire County Council occupational therapist assesses your needs and decides what work is needed
The county council refers you to Ashfield District Council for the Disabled Facilities Grant
Ashfield officers schedule the works, obtain quotes and help you complete the application, including the test of resources (means test) where it applies
The council approves or refuses the grant within 6 months of a valid application; do not start work before approval
Works must be completed within 12 months; the council inspects them and usually pays the contractor direct

any assessed contribution must be paid before works start.

Have ready

Completed application form
Owner's or tenant's certificate (intention that the disabled occupant will live there for 5 years), with proof of ownership or tenancy
Landlord's written permission and owner's certificate (private tenants)
Evidence of financial resources for the test of resources
The appropriate number of quotes (the council obtains these)

council officers help applicants put the documents together; this list is from the Aids and Adaptations Policy.

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