Adapting your home to meet your needs could make it easier to get around or carry out daily tasks.
Minor adaptations
Types of minor adaptations include:
- a handrail by the toilet;
- a banister rail along the stairs;
- handrails and steps to enable access to your home;
- alterations to steps, or putting in a ramp, to enable you to get into and out of your home (if the cost is under £1,000).
Major adaptations
Types of major adaptations include:
- a stairlift to take you to the bathroom or toilet if they are situated upstairs;
- replacing your bath with a shower if you cannot get into the bath and are unable to carry out personal care in any other way; or
- a ramp to enable you to get in and out of your home (if the cost is over £1,000).
How we can help
An Occupational Therapist (OT) will carry out an assessment of your needs. The OT will discuss with you and observe the ways in which you have difficulty doing things in everyday life.
As part of the assessment the OT may arrange for an architect or surveyor to find out whether it is feasible to carry out alterations on your home and the ways in which this may be done. For larger alterations, the architect/surveyor may draw 'sketch schemes' which are drawings to help you and the OT make a decision about the best and most cost-effective way to overcome your difficulties.
The OT may need to contact your doctor, physiotherapist or district nurse to find out how your difficulties will affect you in the future (they will ask for your permission before doing this).
Adult Social Care do not charge for arranging the provision of the adaptation.
Who owns the adaptation?
- If you own your home the adaptation becomes part of your property when it is complete and you are responsible for any maintenance of or repair to it.
- If your property is owned by BCP Council, PHP or a housing association the adaptation becomes the property of that organisation and they are responsible for the maintenance of and repair to it.
What will happen next
The OT will be the key person to contact if you have any queries about the adaptation. The OT will offer professional advice and ensure that the adaptation recommended is necessary and appropriate for your needs. The OT can provide details of local contractors if you wish to fund the adaptations yourself. If your home is owned by BCP Council, PHP or a housing association, the OT can send a recommendation letter to that organisation giving details of the adaptation and why it is needed.
Further information
You may also like to look at these related pages;
Sources of funding available to pay for the adaptation
Minor adaptations:
- Yourself.
- If your home is owned by BCP Council or Poole Housing Partnership (PHP), that organisation is responsible for funding any adaptations and would need to agree to this.
- If your home is owned by a housing association, they may agree to fund any minor adaptations you may need.
- Adult Social Care
For minor adaptations the total cost of the adaptation must not exceed £1,000. For any adaptations over £1,000 a major adaptation would need to be considered.
Major adaptations:
- Yourself.
- Charity funding.
- A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) administered by the Grants Team in Housing at BCP Council.
- A housing association.
- If your home is owned by BCP Council or Poole Housing Partnership (PHP), that organisation is responsible for funding any adaptations and would need to agree to this.
Disabled Facilities Grants for major adaptations
- The Grants Team in Housing is responsible for ensuring the adaptation is reasonable and practical depending on the age and condition of your home, in line with the conditions of the Disabled Facilities Grant. The Occupational Therapist (OT) will ensure the adaptation meets your assessed needs.
- The OT will send a recommendation to the Grants Team in Housing, giving details of the adaptation and the reason why it is needed.
- The Grants Team in Housing will notify you of how much grant you will receive or any contribution you will need to make. If your contribution is greater than the cost of the adaptation, no grant will be paid.
- You will not receive any Disabled Facilities Grant if you start work before the council approves your application.
- If the property is owned by the Council or PHP that organisation is responsible for arranging the adaptation.