Aids and adaptations
Aids and adaptations can help customers with disabilities live safely and independently in their homes.
Adapting your home
We understand the diversity of our customers and the importance of meeting different needs to promote sustainable communities. Aids and adaptations can help customers with disabilities live safely and independently in their homes.
Disabled adaptations
You may find that it becomes more difficult to manage your home as you get older, or physical or mental impairment affects your ability to do day-to-day tasks. We can help to make your home more comfortable to live in by making appropriate changes to your house and immediate surroundings.
If you are having difficulties within your home and think that you need help in coping with some of the physical aspects of everyday living (such as going up steps and stairs, or making it possible for carers to access your home) then please contact our Repairs Team on 01386 420 800.
The way we deal with your request will depend on the type of adaptation you require and there are certain qualifying conditions that must be met, and restrictions on specific types of property. Please contact our Repairs Team to discuss your requirements further.
Work costing less than £1000
If the work you need is likely to cost less than £1000, we will usually carry out the work and you will not have to pay anything. Requests for work of this kind need to come from an Occupational Therapist (OT).
Examples this type of work include:
- Rails (excluding simple grab rails)
- Banister rails
- Handrails to steps or entrance paths
- Dropdown WC rails
- Window restrictors
- Installation of lever taps
- Minor alterations to heating systems
- Extending pull-cord switches
- Changing height of switches/sockets
- Half steps
- Access ramps, raised walkways or change of access
- Wheelchair accessible kitchen/bathroom alterations
- Level access/low threshold external doors
- Automatic door openings and intercoms/door entry
- Internal structural alterations (like widening door openings)
We will carry out the work at a time which is most convenient to you within normal working hours. If we cannot complete the work in this time we will explain the reasons, and agree a reasonable time-scale with you.
Work costing more than £1000
If the adaptation you require is likely to cost more than £1,000 (for example a wet room or stair-lift), we will explain how to contact the local authority for your area, who can assist you in applying for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to help pay for the work.
A DFG is subject to a means test but, if you receive certain types of state benefit or have a low income and savings of less than £6,000, you will probably not have to pay anything towards the cost.
Completing your own work
If you want to carry out work which you intend to pay for yourself, or which is funded by DFG, you will need written permission from either your Neighbourhood Housing Officer or one of our Building Inspectors before you can start work. We will usually give consent to reasonable requests, although we may require you to agree to some conditions; this might include, for example, an agreement to pay for annual servicing or safety checks.
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