Adaptations for privately owned and rented homes

What are home adaptations and are they for me? 

Your independence and being able to stay in your own home is really important.  But sometimes life can be tricky and you might be struggling to do some of the things you used to take in your stride.

So, if you privately own or rent your home in any of these areas, you may be entitled to have changes (we call them adaptations) made to your home:  

• Hambleton
• Richmondshire
• Craven
• Selby
• Harrogate

Adaptations can make it safer and easier for you to get around and do everyday things like getting in and out of the shower or turning taps off and on easily. Depending on what you need and your circumstances, you might be able to get some help from your local county council with the costs.

The right adaptations can make a big difference and might be just the thing that’s needed to help you carry on living safely and securely in your own home. 

We’re an accredited Home Improvement Agency and we work with local councils to help you stay safe and sound in the place you call home.

We don’t like to blow our own trumpet, but North Yorkshire County Council and Hambleton District Council have chosen to partner with us because we’ve got a great reputation and they trust us to deliver. We hope you, like our previous customers, do too!

Types of adaptations 

There’s lots of different things that can be done to make your home safe for you and your needs.  Some are simply a case of changing fixtures and fittings, others involve a bit more work.

Here’s some examples of what we can do:

• Fit a stairlift or a handrail to help you get up and down the stairs
• Add grab rails (in your bathroom or at your front door)
• Install a level access shower (sometimes called a wet room)
• Install an outdoor ramp or step handrails
• Extend or widen steps or doorways to make more room for walking frames
• Fit new tap handles (sometimes called lever taps) if yours are difficult to turn

Qualifying for home adaptations  

If you privately own or rent your home in Hambleton, Richmondshire, Craven, Selby or Harrogate, you may be able to get adaptations.  We’re an accredited Home Improvement Agency so we may be able to do this for you.

Getting home adaptations 

You’re probably thinking that getting home adaptations is going to be pretty complicated. But don’t worry, we’re here to help.

The first step is for you to get in touch with us for a chat. You can tell us all about the problems you’re having and together we can decide what help you need and find out what you’re entitled to.

To get started, we’ll help you find a contact at your local council and ask for a ‘needs assessment’.  They’ll send someone out to your home, usually an occupational therapist or a social care co-ordinator. They’ll work out what equipment and adaptations you need, and if you’re entitled to receive support. We can help you with organising all of this and guide you through the process.

We can also talk to a family member, friend or neighbour too. So, if you want to chat on behalf of someone else, you’ll just need their permission.

Paying for adaptations

If you’ve been assessed by your local council as needing adaptations, they usually cover the costs up to £1,000. If you need something more substantial like a stair lift or wet floor shower and don’t have the funds to pay for it yourself, you can apply for a government grant called a Disabled Facilities Grant (there’s lots more info below on this).

If you live in the Hambleton area we can support you through the whole application process.

Support for people with disabilities

Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) are offered by local councils to help people living with disabilities to modify their homes. They’re available to anyone with any kind of permanent disability, including mental illness and physical and learning disabilities.

A DFG is managed and paid for by your local council and must only be used for adaptations your local council has agreed you need.

Your council will look at your personal circumstances, including your income, before they decide how much they can give you.  There’s an upper limit on the amount you can get, but local councils may agree to top this up in some circumstances.

Don’t let the thought of lots of paperwork put you off.  We can help you with your application and guide you through the process. That’s what we’re here for!

If you want to dive into the detail about DFGs, here’s some more info you might find useful.

Disabled Facilities Grants.

Disabled Facilities Grant - YouTube

Get in touch with us

It’s easy to get in touch. Just fill in our online form and we’ll get back to you to find out how we can help.  We can also talk to a family member, friend or neighbour too. So, if you want to chat on behalf of someone else, you’ll just need their permission.