Adaptations to support your independence

If you, or someone living in your property, has permanent and substantial disabilities, you could get help with the cost of adapting your home, to make it easier for you to live independently.

For example, you could get help to:

  • improve access to and from your property
  • widen doors and install ramps
  • improve access to rooms and facilities - e.g. stair lifts or a downstairs bathroom
  • adapt heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
  • level access showers
  • make the property safe 

Find out what support is available for you

If you would like to enquire about making adaptations to your home, you can use our home adaptations enquiry form online and a member of our team will call you back to discuss your options.

Enquire about home adaptations online

Alternatively you can call us on 0300 456 1000 or see one of our trained staff at one of your local Talking Points.

After making an enquiry 

You will be given advice about housing adaptations and, if required we can make recommendations to the appropriate organisations. They may also recommend other options, like equipment such as grab rails, specialist bathing equipment, or hoists.  In some cases, they may give advice on the possibility of moving to a more suitable property.

Financial help and support to fund adaptations

There are different kinds of help available, depending on your circumstances. 

Private homeowners and tenants

If you own your home, or if you rent privately, you may be entitled to a Disabled Facilities Grant. 

A Disabled Facilities Grant will not affect any benefits you're getting.  We will do a financial assessment with you, and this means you may have to pay something towards the cost of the adaptations.  We will not do a financial assessment if the application is for a child under the age of 18.

More information

Who can get a Disabled Facilities Grant?

You or someone living in your property must be disabled.  Either you or the person you're applying for must:

  • own the property, or be a private tenant
  • intend to live in the property for 5 years

You can also apply if you are a landlord and you have a disabled tenant.

There are two important things we have to work out:

  • whether you need any adaptations, and what these could be
  • whether you qualify for a grant - this depends on how much money you have, based on your income and savings
What could I be entitled to?

You could get a grant of up to £36,000.  The grant is means-tested.  We will do a financial assessment with you, and this means you may have to pay something towards the cost of the adaptations.

How much you get depends on your household income and your savings over £6,000.  Disabled children under 18 can get grants without their parents' income being taken into account.

We would need to be happy that the work is:

  • 'necessary and appropriate' to meet your needs
  • 'reasonable and practicable' or can be done, depending on the age and condition of the property

You will not get any grant if you start work on the adaptations to your property before we approve your grant application.

You may need to get planning permission or building regulations approval before making any adaptations. We will help you with this.

What if I'm not eligible?

If you are not eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant, we can talk to you about other ways we can support you. For example, you may be able to get support in other ways, such as:

  • Care and repair
  • Houseproud
  • Home improvement loans

If you still want to go ahead with making adaptations, we can still help you in making sure the work is done to a satisfactory standard.

What if my home is not suitable for adaptations?

Sometimes, your existing property may not be suitable for the adaptations that you need, and it may be more cost effective to move somewhere more appropriate. If this is the case, you can apply for a Relocation Assistance Grant.

This is a grant of up to £10,000 to help with the professional costs associated with moving to a home that is more suited to your needs, or that can be adapted to meet your needs. The new property will need to be in a good state of repair.

This grant is means-tested, so we will need to carry out a financial assessment with you. An occupational therapist and an officer from our built environment team will visit you to determine whether you are eligible for a Relocation Assistance Grant.

Housing association tenants

If you rent your home from a housing association, they may be able to arrange the work for you. 

Housing associations can apply for a Physical Adaptations Grant from the Welsh Government.  These grants can pay for work such as installing stair lifts, level access showers and other accessibility works.  In some cases, major works are required which can include structural changes to the property, such as extensions and through floor lifts.

To find out more, you can:

  • submit an enquiry, and a member of our team will call you back to discuss your options
  • call us on 0300 456 1000
  • contact your housing association to discuss the adaptations you think you need.  They will make a referral for an occupational therapist or a social care practitioner to carry out an assessment.

Council tenants

If you live in a council property, the council will normally arrange any adaptations that are necessary, without the aid of a grant.

Once an occupational therapist or social care practitioner has visited and assessed that the work you have requested is necessary and appropriate, they will make a recommendation to the council.  There are strict criteria for what adaptations can be installed, and in some cases it might be more appropriate to move to a more suitable property.

To find out more, you can:

  • submit an online enquiry, and a member of our team will call you back to discuss your options
  • call us on 0300 456 1000
  • contact your housing officer to discuss the adaptations you think you need.  They will make a referral for an occupational therapist or a social care practitioner to carry out an assessment.