We have put together some frequently asked questions about disabled facilities grants.

Who can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant? 

You can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) if you are: 

• a private tenant (or lodger) of a property or a housing association tenant 
• the owner of a property 
• intend to become the owner of a property 

If the property owner makes the application, they must complete a certificate stating that they intend to remain living there for five years. If the applicant isn’t yet the owner, the grant can't be approved until the sale has completed. 

If the tenant makes the application, they must complete a certificate stating that they intend to remain living in the property for five years.  

I rent my home - do I need permission from my landlord? 

Yes, you need to have permission from your landlord for the adaptations to take place.  

Are there minimum and maximum levels of disabled facilities grant available? 

For minor works relating to aids and equipment that are under £1,000 in value please contact Derbyshire County Council on 01629 533190. This work is not funded through disabled facilities grants. 

The maximum mandatory disabled facilities grant (DFG) is £30,000, which is set by the government. 

If the cost of the work exceeds £30,000, the applicant may have to source alternative funding for the costs that exceed £30,000.  

Will I have to contribute to the cost? 

Adults 

The amount of grant, other than those for disabled children, will depend on your income and savings and assets. 

If you are in receipt of any of the following, you will not have to contribute towards the works: 

• Council Tax Support 
• Income Support 
• Income-based Employment and Support Allowance (not contribution-based ESA) 
• Income-based Jobseeker's Allowance (not contribution-based JSA) 
• Guarantee Pension Credit (not Savings Pension Credit alone) 
• Housing Benefit 
• Working Tax Credit and or Child Tax Credit - provided that the annual income for the purposes of assessing entitlement to the tax credit is less than £15,050 
• Universal Credit - this includes any Universal Credit which is being introduced from 2013 onwards as a replacement for working age benefits and tax credits 

If you are not in receipt of one of the above listed benefits, a means test will be carried out. The means test will look at the income and capital (for example, savings and investments) and assets of the disabled person and their spouse or partner. We don’t currently means test for stairlifts.  

This means that your share of the cost may range from nothing at all, to the full cost of the work. 

Children up to the age of 19 where Child Benefit is in payment 

Parents applying for a disabled facilities grant for a disabled child or young person under the age of 19 and in receipt of Child Benefit will not be means tested. 

How will the disabled facilities grant be paid? 

The council may pay the grant in instalments as the work progresses or make one payment once all the work has been completed. 

Your grant will only be fully paid when the council is satisfied that the work has been satisfactorily completed in accordance with the grant approval and on receipt of an invoice, appropriate safety certificates, warranties and completion notices. 

The completed works must also fully meet the needs of the disabled person, as specified by the occupational therapist. 

The grant is either paid directly to Derbyshire County Council, or direct to the contractor, if you have appointed your own contractor. 

What if I sell my property? 

On completion of the grant, a local land charge is placed on the property. This is activated if the property is sold within 10 years of grant completion and the local housing authority may demand a repayment by the recipient. When making a decision, the council will look at individual circumstances. Please contact us for more information.