Funding to adapt older parent’s home
You may be able to stay at home longer if your house is adapted to meet your care needs. And there’s financial support available
Adapting your home
As you get older or if you need support following an illness or disability, many daily tasks around the home can become more challenging – as well as putting you at risk. For example difficulty with mobility, vision or hearing can create problems, especially if you live on your own
Fortunately, there’s a wide range of equipment and improvements available to make your life easier, such as:
- stair lifts
- riser-recliner chairs, beds and bath seats
- walk-in showers and wet rooms
- hand rails
- door ramps
- portable/raised toilets
- downstairs bedrooms
- wheelchair accessible kitchens
- illuminating door bells and smoke alarms
- large button telephones and remote controls
- easy-grip kitchen utensils, and
- widened doors
Funding repairs, improvements and adaptations
Significant improvements can be costly but help is available from a variety of sources. Your first port of call should be your local council (or Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland), who will assess your needs regardless of whether you’re renting or a homeowner. Depending on your circumstances, they may be able to help with the cost of modifications or equipment
Local authority funding for long-term care is means tested – what you get depends on your assets and savings. You may be able to get financial help with the repair, improvement or adaptation of housing, and your local authority may also provide help with finding new accommodation if necessary. Depending on your circumstances, this may take the form of a loan, grant, labour, materials or advice
Disabled Facilities Grants
Even if you don’t qualify for direct help, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant. This funding is available to anyone with a disability, including impaired vision, hearing or speech, a mental disorder or physically disability.
Find out more about Disabled Facilities Grants on the Gov.uk website
Home Improvement Agencies
If you’re not sure where to start when it comes to getting funding, planning the work and employing tradespeople, Home Improvement Agencies can ease a lot of the worry. They can help in a variety of ways, from visiting your home and providing advice to getting quotes and drawing up plans for the required work. They can also check what financial help you may be eligible for
Home Improvement Trust
The Trust’s Houseproud scheme helps older homeowners access low-cost loans or release some of the equity in their homes to fund improvements. You can be put in touch with a case officer, who will help you through the process by looking at financing options, preparing schedules, obtaining estimates or supervising works.
Find out more about help with home improvements on the Houseproud website
Help from your local authority or the Scottish or Welsh Government
Community Care Grants used to be available from the Social Fund to help with the cost of minor improvements. They were abolished from April 2013 and have been replaced by financial help provided by your local authority in England and the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales
If you live in England, contact your local council to find out more about what help they can provide
If you live in Scotland, find out more about the Scottish Welfare Fund on the Scottish Government website
If you live in Wales, the Welsh Government is introducing the Discretionary Assistance Fund
If you live in Northern Ireland find out more about changes to the Social Fund on the nidirect website
Housing Executive Grants
If you live in Northern Ireland, there are a number of grants available to improve or adapt your home.
Check out the Housing Executive website for details of the funding available
Charities
If you’re unable to secure funding elsewhere, there are a surprising number of charities who may be able to help. For example The ACT Foundation provides help with building work and equipment for disabled people
Getting started
Your local council may carry out the work itself or appoint private contractors. However, if you’re left to organise the work yourself, it’s important to employ someone you trust
Your local authority may have a list of preferred suppliers or local businesses. Alternatively, ask around – word of mouth is often the best recommendation
Check out directories of trusted contractors, such as:
Get a quote
Always get a quote before you hire a contractor – and, if possible, get three so you can compare. If you think a quote is too high, ask for a full breakdown of costs. It’s also best to get a fixed quote rather than an estimate to ensure that costs don’t spiral out of control
There are some other important things to bear in mind before hiring a contractor.
Make sure that you don’t need planning permission to make improvements to your home.
Make a note of the tradesman’s full name, registered address and telephone number.
Ensure that your builder has a public liability insurance certificate and obtain a copy.
Check with your buildings and contents insurance company in advance, as building work may affect your cover.
VAT
If you’re disabled, any building work you do to adapt your home may be zero-rated for VAT.
Find out more about VAT exemptions on building work on HM Revenue & Customs website
This article is provided by the Money Advice Service.
