Ageing Better responds to government funding announcement for home adaptations

The government has recently announced that it will increase funding by £50 million this year for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which are provided by local councils to support older and Disabled people in making adaptations to their home.  

These adaptations can range from small things like installing grab rails or lifting beds, sofas, or toilets to make standing up and sitting down easier, to larger infrastructure changes such as installing stair lifts, or widening doors for wheelchair access.  

DFG funding supports around 60,000 people to make home adaptions each year, with an average grant of around £10,000, and this increase is expected to support an additional 5,000 people.  

Calls have been made to reform the system with little change in the size of the average grant or the statutory upper limit of £30,000, since 2008.  

Millie Brown, Deputy Director for Homes at the Centre for Ageing Better, said: 

“We know that the DFG can be a lifeline for people who are able to navigate the process, but the system is far from perfect. At Ageing Better, we want more to be done to ensure more people on low incomes are able to receive support from the scheme.  

“There is also a lack of awareness about what is available through the DFG scheme among those who might benefit, who is eligible and how to apply. Services at a local level to deliver home improvements are varied and patchy across the country.

“With this in mind, we welcome the additional reforms outlined in the government’s recent consultation on DFGs and urge government to make these changes without delay.

“Establishing a national network of one-stop shops known as Good Home Hubs would create a trustworthy and reliable source of information to access advice and support on this issue for residents regardless of where they lived.”