Disabled grants available in the UK

In a world that’s primarily designed for the able-bodied, everyday life can throw up extra challenges for those with disabilities. Even at home things like narrow doorways, steps or small bathrooms can create difficulties, but having the right solutions in place can make a big difference. However, when money is tight, finding the funds to pay for much needed help can be a challenge in itself.

If you find yourself in a position where you are desperate for more help but need help with funding, we explore some of the disabled grant options available in the UK.

Disabled Facilities Grant

The main source of funding people can look for if they have a disability in the UK and need to make changes to their home is the Disabled Facilities Grant, which is offered by local councils. The grant itself is intended for those who need to adapt their home to account for their needs, and it won’t affect any benefits they currently receive.

Reasons to apply for the Disabled Facilities Grant:

• You need to widen doors within your home.
• You need to install a ramp/s to your home.
• You need to improve your accessibility facilities, including purchasing stairlifts or adapting bathrooms.
• You need to upgrade your heating system to better suit your needs.
• You need to upgrade the controls for your heating or lighting to suit your needs.

How much is the Disabled Facilities Grant?

How much money you will be awarded from the grant will depend on a range of factors, including your location, your household income and your household savings. In England, you can get up to £30,000, in Wales £36,000 and in Northern Ireland £25,000. Unfortunately, at this time Disabled Facility Grants aren’t available in Scotland but there is other support for mobility equipment and accessibility adaptations.

Who is eligible for the Disabled Facilities Grant?

Both those with disabilities or impairments and the people who live with them are able to apply for the grant, as well as the landlord of tenants with disabilities. Your local council will be the decision-makers on the grant and will look at whether what you are requesting is necessary and reasonable, and that the work can be done safely on the property in question.

Please note: You shouldn’t start any work before getting confirmation of your grant.

Click the link below for all of the information available from the Government on the Disabled Facilities Grant, and for more details of how to apply to your local council for funding.

Learn more about the Disabled Facilities Grant.

Other Disability Grants in the UK

If you are looking for other options when it comes to funding for mobility and accessibility products, then it’s not just the Disabled Facilities Grant you can look to. Many charities have systems in place which can help those who need financial help and might, in some circumstances, be a better fit for your situation than the Government grant is.

What might be on offer to you will depend on many factors, one of the main things being your location within the UK, so by browsing the grants available you can see if there is a charitable fund set up that covers your area and provides to people in your situation.

For all grants available, the sites Disability Grants and Turn 2 Us can be a real help for finding out what’s available to you. They are databases of charitable grants and can make it easy to search by location or need and are not only useful for those who are searching for themselves but those who are looking on behalf of a family member or friend as well.

Other funding options

For other funding options, there are three main things you might want to consider.

Crowdfunding: A popular way to raise money now, crowdfunding involves creating an online campaign where people from around the world are able to donate. This can be useful for people who are in especially unique situations and who have or are willing to create a strong online presence telling their story and asking for help. Please be aware, though, that in some circumstances money raised through crowdfunding might affect your Disabled Facilities Grant application.

Loans: Taking a loan out from a bank is something you might be able to do in order to fund your equipment. Although it can cost more in the long run due to interest and fees, it can be a good way to access the money you need quickly. You should be careful when taking out a loan and avoid short-term so-called ‘pay-day’ loans which often have high interest rates and cause long-term problems.

Buy Now, Pay Later: Some companies offer buy-now-pay-later options which can set up monthly payments for you instead of a lump sum. This can result in a higher cost but is a great way to spread the payments over a longer period of time and make them more manageable.

It can be hard looking for funding to get mobility aids, but our home lift’s UK prices are competitive and can help you get a robust and long-term solution in your home for less than you think. If you are looking for more advice, contact our advisors who can talk to you about budgets.

For more useful guides like this, take a look at our blog.