Helping older people stay safely at home
Most older people would much rather carry on living in their own home than move into a care home, even as everyday tasks such as getting up the stairs or in and out of the bath become harder. A Disabled Facilities Grant, often shortened to DFG, is a grant from your local council that pays for changes to the home so that an older or disabled person can keep living there safely and independently. It can fund work such as ramps and grab rails, a stairlift, a level access shower or wet room, a downstairs bedroom or bathroom, wider doorways, better access to the garden, and heating or lighting controls that are easier to use. These adaptations can reduce the risk of falls, make daily life easier, and often delay or remove the need to move into residential care. The grant is available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and it does not affect any benefits you already receive.
Importantly, older people with age related needs can qualify, not only those with a long term disability, so frailty, reduced mobility, sight or hearing loss and conditions such as arthritis, Parkinson's or dementia can all be reasons to apply. The amount you can receive depends on where you live. The maximum mandatory grant is £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales and £25,000 in Northern Ireland, although some councils choose to pay more at their discretion. In Scotland the grant does not apply and help with adaptations is arranged instead through your council under its Scheme of Assistance. For most adults the grant is means tested, which means the council looks at household income and savings to decide whether you should contribute. Many older people on a low income or receiving the Guarantee part of Pension Credit pay nothing at all, and for people of pension age the first £10,000 of savings is ignored.
Our calculator helps you make sense of all this in a couple of minutes. You start by telling us where the home is, who needs the adaptations and whether the older person owns, rents or lets it. For an adult you then add a few details about the household, weekly income, savings and any disability, severe disability or carer premiums that apply, and you can optionally enter the expected cost of the work. The tool applies the correct cap for your nation and gives an indicative estimate of any contribution and the grant you are likely to receive, along with a clear breakdown showing how that figure is reached, so you can plan with more confidence.
Please treat the result as a guide rather than a final decision. The formal means test is carried out by your local council, and the figures can vary slightly from one council to another. To take things further, contact your council's home improvement agency or adult social care team, who will usually arrange a free occupational therapy assessment to agree the work that is needed before they assess your eligibility. Remember not to start any work until the council has approved your application, because starting early can mean you lose the grant. If staying at home for as long as possible is the goal, you may also find the other funding tools above useful as you plan ahead.
