Disabled facilities grants
Grants are provided in accordance with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 and the Disabled Facilities Grant policy 2004-2028 (available below).
Grants are available for adaptations of a property to make it suitable for use by a registered disabled person or qualifying member of their family.
Adaptations typically include:
- stair lifts
- level access showers
- adapting a kitchen for wheelchair accessibility
- providing accessible toilet facilities
As a first step (in most cases) you will need to have an assessment by an Occupational Therapist from West Sussex County Council. The Occupational Therapist is responsible for referring their assessment to the council. Only an Occupational Therapist or a suitably qualified person can make that referral. Email an Occupational Therapist or call 01243 642121. If they recommend an adaption, with your permission your details will be passed onto our Private Sector Housing team.
If you are a council tenant, we have a different process to make adaptations to your home. If you are a ºù«ÍÞapp Homes tenant, please visit our webpage on adaptations to your home for further information.
The maximum grant is £30,000. It is means tested in relation to your income and savings, so you may be required to pay a contribution towards the cost of any works. Your contribution will be calculated in advance of the application being processed so you can decide whether you wish to proceed.
Be aware:
- Grant assistance is not available for works that have started
- You must intend on living in the property for five years on completion of the works
- All works must be necessary and appropriate, and be reasonable and feasible (given and age and condition of the property)
- Some work may require planning permission and/or building regulations approval, and you may need a qualified architect or surveyor to plan and oversee the work
- If the cost of works is above £5,000, your contribution can be recorded as a local land charge against your property and recoverable on sale of the property in the future
If you would like any further information regarding Disabled Facilities Grants please contact the Private Sector Housing team on telephone 01293 438281 or email ps.housing@crawley.gov.uk
Local land charges
We may ask you to repay a proportion of the grant under certain circumstances by registering a local land charge on your property.