Grants for disabled adaptations are available to help you live more comfortably in your own home by providing the necessary alterations to meet your needs.

You may apply for a grant if you are:

Homeowners, Private Tenants, Registered Provider Tenants in the Borough

Before applying, you will need to be seen by an Occupational Therapist (OT). The OT will visit your home to carry out an assessment of your needs. Please contact Suffolk County Council to arrange this; call 0800 121 7711 or email ILS@suffolk.gov.uk

Ipswich Borough Council (IBC) work with Suffolk County Council with assisting disabled adaptations. They have developed a service to help disabled residents live at home more independently.

As part of the grant process, IBC will:

• provide an online means test so you may assess whether you are likely to be accepted for a financial assistance.
• carry out a full statutory means test. IBC will ask you for details of your financial circumstances, so that they can tell you whether you qualify for grant aid and what contribution (if any) you may need to make towards the cost of the work
• make an appointment for one of their officers to visit you. The OT may visit with the IBC officer and they will discuss with you what adaptations would be most suitable.

IBC will support you with your application and will visit to:

• help with the application form
• organise a schedule of works in response to OT recommendations, depending on whether the works are major or minor adaptations, together with details of any other information the Council needs

Before the Council can approve the grant, we will need the completed application form and the information we have asked for.

Please note, grants will not be paid for works that have already started.

Grants for disabled adaptations are available for works that will help you to remain in your property, such as:

• widening doors and installing ramps to make access into and out of your home easier
• installing a stair lift
• access to bathing and toilet facilities
• making a dwelling safe for disabled occupant
• providing a room useable for sleeping
• facilitating food preparation.

These are only examples. Other works may qualify for a grant, in consultation with Suffolk Social Care Services. If in doubt - please ask.

When applying for a grant for disabled adaptations you will be asked to sign a Certificate of Future Occupation stating that throughout the grant condition period you intend to occupy the property as your only or main residence.

A breach of the conditions may mean that the grant must be repaid.

The grant condition period lasts for:

•  5 years - if the amount of grant assistance is £4,999 or less
• 10 years - if the amount of grant assistance is £5,000 or more.

If the grant amount is for a sum of £5,000 or over the Council may demand repayment of the part of the grant that exceeds £5,000 but may not demand an amount in excess of £10,000.

The maximum amount of grant assistance that can be offered is currently £30,000.

Minor Disabled Facilities Grant: non-means-tested fast-track grant

This is a new initiative that provides a better and simplified process to speed up adaptations, removing the need for a means test for minor adaptations. The grants are for minor adaptations designed to assist and support residents and their families cope with the challenges of living at home with long term conditions as part of home care support package for minor adaptations to property to help people remain at home or when the home cannot be fully adapted.

The minor adaptation grants are open to all Homeowners, Private Tenants and Registered Provider Tenants in the Borough. All applications are considered on a case-by-case basis but may include but is not limited to the following eligible works: -Talking reminder clocks, Labelling / Sticker Booklet, Installation of a Key Safe, Grab Rails, Motion senor lights, Pressure sensor equipment, Removing Door Thresholds, Installation of a Level Access Shower, installation of stairlifts, Installing Pivot Hinges, Widening Doors, Ramps.

This is a fast-track grant with no means test required. Applicants can be considered for a Minor Disabled Facilities Grant when:

• cost of works is £10 000 or less – the most common adaptations are changing bathrooms into wet rooms with a flush floor shower, installing stairlifts or ramping entrances. An application can be made directly to Independent Living Ipswich.
• you will need to submit a letter from Occupational Therapist, adult social care, hospital admittance or discharge team or other health care professional who has a direct knowledge of the applicant’s health condition confirming your needs with your application and proof of property ownership (the Council reserves the right to refuse a referral from a health professional or refer it to Suffolk County Council for an OT assessment)
• the grant will be repayable over £5000 for a period of 10 years.

Discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant

Type of Assistance

In cases where the cost of the works agreed through the Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant application is above the £30,000 threshold. The Council may consider whether to allow up to an additional £15,000 of work to be carried out under the Discretionary DFG, top up fund. This is a discretionary grant and whether to award it, will be dependent on the individual’s needs, circumstances, and the funds available. A charge will be registered against the property making some of the grant repayable if the property is sold or disposed of within 10 years of the works being completed. The charge will be in addition to the mandatory DFG charge

Before you apply for a grant you will need to contact Suffolk County Council on 0800 1217711 or email: ILS@suffolk.gov.uk

An Occupational Therapist will assess your needs and make a recommendation if they feel that adaptations to your home would enable you to be independent. IBC will then continue the disabled facilities grant process with you if you are eligible.

Housing Assistance Policy 2021