Apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant

From the section: Disabled Facilities Grant

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Apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant

If you would like to discuss whether a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) could help you, you can contact our Occupational Therapy Team for support and advice by:

  • email: ccadults@solihull.gov.uk
  • phone: 0121 704 8007 (weekdays from 9:00am to 5:00pm, except Wednesdays when we open at 10:00am)

To see if you are eligible, you will need to complete an Occupational Therapy assessment. 

If you are assessed as eligible, someone from our Occupational Therapy Team will discuss how best to meet your needs and recommend suitable home adaptations. 

To find out what other support is available, please visit our get help from adult social care page.

The application process

We will support you through the application process.

Step 1

To see if you are eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), you will first need to complete an Occupational Therapy assessment. 

Step 2

We may need to complete a financial assessment, taking into account your income and savings to determine whether a DFG can be paid and if you need to make a contribution to the cost of the works. 

You may be offered discretionary help you via the Council’s Housing Assistance Policy. We can tell you more about this if the Occupational Therapy assessment determines that you are eligible for support.

You will not have to contribute to the cost of the work if the work is for a child or young person under the age of 19, or if you receive a qualifying means-tested benefit such as:

  • Universal Credit
  • Pension Credit
  • Housing Benefit

Step 3

We may prepare drawings of the adaptations. 

If it is likely that your adaptations will need planning permission and/or building regulations approval, we will arrange this on your behalf. 

If you would prefer to make your own arrangements, including paying for the work, we can provide support and advice.  

Step 4

Before the grant can be approved, all the relevant paperwork must be in place.  

Solihull Independent Living Service (SILS) can support you through this process, including: 

  • the application forms
  • proof of ownership for your home
  • plans (where completed) agreed by you and our Occupational Therapy Team
  • estimate(s) of cost
  • planning permission/building regulations approval (where needed)

Step 5

Before building work starts, Solihull Independent Living Service (SILS) will arrange a site visit with the building company. At this meeting, you should be given a start date and can ask any questions that you may have about the work. 

Local land charge

If your grant is for more than £5,000, it may be repayable in certain circumstances, such as if you move house.  

We place what is called a ‘local land charge’ on the property that would stay in place for 10 years from the date the works are completed. It will only need to be repaid if you decide to sell the property during this time.  

The table below gives you some examples of the amounts you might expect to repay:

Cost of grantAmount to be repaid
Up to £5,000Nil
£7,000£2,000
£10,000£5,000
£15,000£10,000
Above £15,000£10,000