Home adaptations: free equipment and grants

Last checked November 2026. Offers and rules change: confirm with the provider before you rely on them.

If your home is getting harder to manage, ask your council for a free assessment before you buy anything. Small equipment and minor adaptations are often provided without charge, and larger work such as a stairlift or level-access shower may be paid for by a Disabled Facilities Grant in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or by the council's own scheme in Scotland.

Start with an assessment

Contact your council's adult social care department (your Health and Social Care Trust in Northern Ireland) and ask for an assessment for equipment and adaptations. In England and Wales you can start on GOV.UK: apply for equipment for your home. An occupational therapist, a health professional who specialises in making daily tasks easier, will usually visit, watch how you manage and recommend what would help.

The assessment is free and does not depend on your savings. It is worth having even if you plan to pay for the work yourself, because it stops you buying the wrong thing.

Small equipment and minor adaptations

Things like grab rails, a second stair rail, raised toilet seats, bath and shower seats, and small ramps and threshold aids are commonly supplied and fitted by the council after an assessment. In England, equipment and minor adaptations that you are assessed as needing should be provided free where the cost is within the limit set in the care regulations; ask your council what applies. Elsewhere in the UK, ask your council or Trust what it provides without charge.

If you do buy for yourself, our mobility aids buying guide covers what to look for, and many items qualify for VAT relief.

Bigger changes: the Disabled Facilities Grant

A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is money from your council towards changes that help a disabled person live in their home. You do not need to be registered disabled; GOV.UK says it includes people with age-related needs and conditions such as dementia. Examples on GOV.UK include:

installing a stairlift, ramps or grab rails
widening doors
a level-access shower
improving access to the garden
building a downstairs bedroom or bathroom
a suitable heating system, or heating and lighting controls that are easier to use

Who can apply

You can apply if you own your home or are a tenant, and landlords can apply on a tenant's behalf. The disabled person must intend to live in the property for the grant period, which GOV.UK gives as usually five years, though it can be shorter. The council must be satisfied the work is necessary and appropriate, and reasonable for the property.

How much

GOV.UK gives the maximum as up to £30,000 in England, up to £36,000 in Wales and up to £25,000 in Northern Ireland, at the time of writing (November 2026). For adults the grant is normally means-tested, so depending on your income and savings you may be asked to pay part of the cost. A DFG does not affect any benefits you receive.

Watch out: Do not start work, or sign with a builder, before the council approves your application in writing. GOV.UK warns that you may not get a grant if work has already begun.

How to apply

Apply to your local council's housing or environmental health department, or through the occupational therapist who assessed you. See Disabled Facilities Grants on GOV.UK. In Northern Ireland the grant is handled through the Housing Executive after an occupational therapist's recommendation: see nidirect. Council and housing association tenants should speak to their landlord first, as it may carry out adaptations itself.

Scotland

Disabled Facilities Grants are not available in Scotland. Councils provide equipment and adaptations following an assessment, and homeowners and private tenants can get a grant towards essential adaptations under the council's own scheme of assistance. Start with your council's social work department or see equipment and adaptations on mygov.scot, and our guide for over-60s in Scotland.

Help with getting the work done

Finding a reliable builder, comparing quotes and filling in grant forms can be the hardest part. These not-for-profit services exist to help older and disabled people with exactly that:

England: Home Improvement Agencies, often run by councils or housing associations and sometimes called "Care and Repair" or "Staying Put". They can help with DFG applications, drawings, finding contractors and overseeing work, and many run a low-cost handyperson service. Foundations is the national body and has a search for your local agency.
Wales: Care & Repair agencies cover every county. See Care & Repair Cymru.
Scotland: Care and Repair services operate in most council areas. Ask your council or Age Scotland for the local contact.
Northern Ireland: ask the Housing Executive or your Trust's occupational therapy service what local help is available.

If you are paying yourself

Get the occupational therapist's recommendation first, then at least three written quotes.
Never agree to work offered by someone who knocks on your door. Read doorstep selling rights and spotting scams.
Do not pay the full price up front. Pay in stages and keep the final payment until the work is finished and checked.
Ask whether the work qualifies for VAT relief. People aged 60 or over pay a reduced rate on certain installed aids, and disabled people may pay none: see VAT relief on mobility aids.

Common questions

Do I have to be on benefits to get a Disabled Facilities Grant?

No. It depends on need and, for adults, a means test of income and savings. People with savings may still get part of the cost.

Can I get a grant if I rent?

Yes. Tenants can apply, though you will need your landlord's permission for the work.

How long does it take?

It varies a great deal between councils, and waiting lists for assessments can be long. GOV.UK says work should normally be completed within 12 months of approval. Ask your council for its current timescales, and ask what interim equipment it can provide while you wait.