There are various disability grants available for home adaptations, especially when it comes to features that make it safer and easier to get around.
Amongst one of the more popular home improvements, wetrooms offer an ideal bathing solution to help those with disabilities or greater mobility needs. If the goal is to build a safer home environment, one that can continue to be lived in independently, then one of the most asked questions relates to financial support.
So, what are your options?
Home Adaptations, explained
Your local council offers a service whereby they consult and advise on home adaptations that can help make your house safer and more accessible. Home assessments are typically free, and the council will suggest ways you can improve accessibility within your house.
Changes can be as significant as supportive furniture and accessibility devices, or as small as helpful household gadgets. Some of the common recommended changes, as suggested by the NHS (National Health Service), include, but are not limited to:
- Widened doorways
- A bath lift, grab rail or walk-in shower
- Slip mats in the bathroom or areas exposed to water
If either yourself or someone you know is at risk of falling, or common injury, you can seek out help from your local council in the form of a ‘home assessment’.
Get Professional Advice
Whether an adaptation, improvement, or enhancement – your home can be adjusted more practically to assist and support you later in life, or if you have a disability that limits or reduces your mobility. Half the battle is knowing where to look for help.
If you’re confused about advice and guidance, seek professional support and help from either a disability helpline, such as the Disabled Living Foundation, or speak with your occupational therapist.
An occupational therapist (OT) or physiotherapist can help you decide on beneficial equipment that could support your specific needs, including any disability equipment or home adaptations. If you don’t have immediate access to one of these services, you can request a consultation through a hospital, social services or an Independent Living Centre (occasionally called Disabled Living Centres).
Can I get a grant for a wetroom?
If you’re disabled and need to make changes to your home, you could be eligible for funding, or a grant. Some of the most common safety adaptations within a home relates to bathroom accessibility and support. Whether minor changes, including rails or adjusting a wetroom with greater scope, supportive grants can enhance your home for easier and safer living by eliminating either all or some of the costs.
If you’re hoping to adapt your home with a wetroom, there is financial aid available for those living with disabilities. It’s important to research the various wetroom grants open to you, how the application works, any eligibility criteria, and the scope of any work.
Council grants for wetrooms
If either yourself or someone living in your property is disabled, then you could be eligible for a Disabled Facility Grant (DFG). There are certain stipulations about your relationship with the property before you can apply for financial relief;
- You must either own the property or be a tenant, or
- You must intend to live in the property for the next five years.
The availability of financial support will be determined based on your existing income and any savings you have. It’s not uncommon for homeowners living with disabilities to request funding, or even contribute privately for a wetroom.
You must independently submit an application to receive funding. These will be processed and organised by your local council, rather than a third-party provider.
Other organisations and charities for wetroom grants
When accessing wetroom grants, you can either seek support through your local authority or council, or request advice from a number of verified charities or organisations, many of which organise public grants for those with disabilities.
Foundations
As a leading support network and resource, Foundations is at the centre of the Home Improvement Agency (HIA) and can offer support with Disabled Facility Grants. This service extends home improvements to include repairs.
The goal of a wetroom grant is to help create or enhance a home environment that can be lived in safely and comfortably. The likes of a wetroom – with its levelled floor, a walk-in shower feature, amongst other benefits – can help support those with disabilities to live independently.
Act to Adapt
This campaign focusses on Motor Neurone Disease (MND) and creating safer homes, including accessibility adaptations. Observed in its report, the Act to Adapt campaign offers valuable advice to those seeking financial assistance for the likes of home improvements, such as wetrooms.
There are other open avenues when it comes to securing advice or funds for a wetroom. When narrowing down the most appropriate economic solution, you can consider advice from other charities and organizations, such as Turn2us. This charitable organisation even offers a quick search tool to help connect those with financial needs to the best grants available.
Useful links
If you need extra consultation on adapting your home for easier living, then consider the following helpful links for official advice and guidance:
Offering impartial advice, this resource is helpful for those wanting tips, ideas and guidance on independent living, especially when it comes to home adaptations.
Deciding what you need when it comes to home adaptation isn’t always easy. The goal is to live independently for longer and small adjustments can help you achieve this. Whether deciding on the right home features or enhancements, or you need financial advice, this service can help you or a loved one navigate home adaptations.
Other considerations for wetroom grants
When it comes to optimising the safety and comfort of your home, a wetroom is a bathing solution that can be as unique as your needs. It’s worth thinking ahead about your personal needs and preferences and how a wetroom can support this.
In addition to grants, there are various reductions or relief schemes that can help remove the financial burden of larger home improvements, which risk being costly.
VAT relief for home improvements
If you have alterations designed to improve the ease and comfort within your home, you could qualify for zero-rated VAT.
Disabled Band Reduction Scheme
If any home improvements alter the value of your property and this pushes your home into a higher Council Tax band, you might qualify for a further discount under the ‘Disabled Band Reduction Scheme’.
For expert advice or guidance on installing a wetroom for improved accessibility, get in touch with us today.
