Adapting your home

If you are finding it difficult to move around your home, you may be eligible for a Disabled Facility Grant to make changes to the property.

Find out if you are eligible

The Disabled Facility Grant is for adults and children who are struggling with daily tasks. To get a grant, you or someone else living in the house must:

  • be disabled
  • intend to live in the property during the grant period (usually 5 years but this can be shorter, for example, if the person is terminally ill)

Adaptations you can make

You can use the grant to help pay for adaptions to make it easier to move around and access your home.

The adaptations we provide may vary depending on your individual circumstances and the availability of resources. We will consider a range of options.

Direct adaptations and adaptable equipment

We may be able to install adaptations directly or we might provide adaptable equipment to use in your home. Adaptations and equipment can include:

  • bathroom adaptations such as grab rails, walk-in showers, wet rooms
  • kitchen adaptations such as lower work surfaces, accessible appliances
  • bedroom adaptations such as hoists and ramps
  • external adaptations such as ramps and handrails

Housing transfers

In some cases, we may be able to transfer council tenants to a more suitable home.

Funding

We check how much money you are eligible for based on your income and any benefits you receive. This is a financial means test. You may have to pay for, or contribute towards the cost of work in your house.

Do a self-assessment of your finances using the Foundations means test calculator to see whether you could be entitled to grant help.

There is no financial means test for council tenants.

Arrange an assessment

To apply for the grant, contact the Social Care team. They will arrange an assessment, which includes an Occupational Therapist (OT) visit to your home.

If the OT thinks your house needs adaptations, they will make a referral and recommend any changes to your home.

To arrange an assessment complete the online assessment tool:

Complete and submit the online assessment tool

Or call:

0113 222 4403 (for children)

0113 222 4401 (for adults)

Once an OT has made a recommendation for adaptations, the Adaptations Team will review the assessment and explore the best ways to meet your specific needs.

Read more about housing assistance and the Disabled Facilities Grant in our private sector housing assistance policy.

Other help available

Help alarms and safety in the home

There are several telecare packages available that can help you live safely and independently at home. Leeds Tele Care can provide 24-hour monitoring of alarms and sensors, which sends an alert to the response centre, where staff can get you the appropriate help.

Find more information on the types of sensors, costs of packages and how to apply.