Disabled Facilities Grant

We may be able to help you undertake adaptations to your home if your situation meets our criteria and funding priorities.

Disabled Facilities Grants may be made for modifications to the homes of people with disabilities if the adaptations will enable them to continue living at home or will improve their quality of life. The work might entail installing access ramps or replacing a bath with a shower, for example. Social Services will need to carry out an assessment of the applicant's disability in order to decide the most appropriate modifications or adaptations to be made to the property.

No work must start before the grant is approved in writing by the Council.

Who can apply?

Disabled Facilities Grants are available to residents who have been assessed by Social Services as being in need of major adaptations to their home.

You can apply for a grant if you are:

•  A disabled person - who is an owner occupier or a tenant (including Housing Association tenant)
•  An owner occupier or a tenant (including Housing Association tenant) who has a disabled   person living in your home
•  A private landlord or Housing Association on behalf of a disabled tenant

Who do I contact?

The Equipment and Adaptations Service
Wellington House
Wellington Street
Barnsley
S70 1WA
Tel: 01226 775800

Location Map

Monday - Thursday:    8:45 am to 5:00 pm
Fridays:                       8:45 am to 4:30 pm

Or,

The Housing Grants Agency
PO Box 603
Barnsley
South Yorkshire
S70 9FD
Tel: 01226 772478

Email: strategichousing@barnsley.gov.uk

Monday - Thursday:    8:45 am to 5:00 pm
Fridays:                       8:45 am to 4:30 pm

Are there any costs?

Grants, other than those for disabled children, are means tested and the amount of grant you receive is based on your household income, savings and investments. You can find out more if you contact The Housing Grants Agency. Where an individual is assessed as having a contribution towards the cost of the work and where the Grants Agency acts on behalf of the client, a cheque made payable to Barnsley MBC must be given to the Agency before the necessary works are ordered.

Response times:

Following a priority assessment by Social Services contact is normally made by the Housing Grants Agency within 5 working days. All other cases normally within 2 months.

Frequently asked questions:

Are their limits to the grant?

The limit to the amount of mandatory grant is £30,000. If the cost of the work proves to be very expensive the Council may not be able to give you a grant above this amount and other action may be proposed.

Will I have to contribute to the cost?

The amount of grant, other than those for disabled children, will depend on your income and savings.
To calculate your contribution, if any, we will need to ask a number of questions about your earnings, other income and savings. When interviewed please have proof of your earnings, savings, benefits and so on.

How do you work out my contribution?

When you apply for a grant, other than those for disabled children, a test of resources will be carried out (a means test) which is an income assessment of your finances. We will include most benefits but we will ignore savings up to £6000.
The amount of your grant will depend on your income, savings and responsibilities. This means that your share of the cost may range from nothing at all to the full cost of the work.

What if I sell my property after I receive a grant?

A Disabled Facilities Grant is not normally repayable

What is the Priority System?

This system is a way of dealing with requests for grant aid on the basis of the greatest need.
The assessment will take account of the condition of the disabled person and is categorised by The Equipment and Adaptations Service.