Disabled Facilities Grant 2025 — Up to £30,000 UK guide

Q: Is there a Disabled Facilities Grant in Scotland?

No — Scotland does not use the Disabled Facilities Grant, but you are not left with nothing. Under each council's Scheme of Assistance (Housing (Scotland) Act 2006) the council must give a 'mandatory grant' for adaptations it assesses as essential. Everyone gets at least 80% of the cost of that work, and people on certain means-tested benefits get 100%. There is no upper cash limit, though the council must be satisfied the cost is reasonable, and some councils top up the 80% further. Start by asking your council's social work team for a needs assessment (usually an Occupational Therapist). Care and Repair services can help you through the process.

Who is eligible?

Read this first if you live in ScotlandThe Disabled Facilities Grant does not exist in Scotland — but you are not left with nothing. Scottish councils run a Scheme of Assistance with a mandatory grant for adaptations they assess as essential: at least 80% of the cost, and 100% if you are on certain means-tested benefits. Jump to the Scotland section →

Everywhere else in the UK, three things must be true:

You (or someone living with you) is disabled — physical, sensory, mental health or a progressive condition like dementia, Parkinson's, MS
The adaptation is necessary and appropriate for that person's needs
The work is reasonable and practicable given the property

Both homeowners and tenants can apply. Tenants need the landlord's permission. Council tenants can also apply but the council usually pays for the work itself rather than via DFG.

Children never face the means testFor children under 19, DFG is not means-tested. The household income doesn't matter. For adults, there is a means test but it ignores certain disability benefits and the first £6,000 of savings.

What the grant covers

Anything that helps the disabled person live more independently in their own home:

Access — ramps, widened paths, accessible front doors, lowered thresholds, stair lifts, through-floor lifts
Bathroom — walk-in shower, level-access wet room, downstairs toilet, accessible bath
Kitchen — lowered surfaces, accessible appliances, single-lever taps
Bedroom and movement — through-floor lifts, hoists, widened doorways for wheelchair use, ground-floor extension if no other practical option
Safety and warmth — specialist heating systems, safe access for someone with severe mental health needs
Sensory adaptations — visual fire alarms, induction loops, lighting changes for partial sight

How to apply

Claim it now — free · OT assessment first

📞 Ask your council for an OT assessment Read it on GOV.UK →

Contact your council's adult social care (or children's services) team and request an Occupational Therapy assessment — it's free and has no income test. Don't start any work before the council approves it.

Request an Occupational Therapy (OT) assessment from your council's adult social care or children's services team. The OT visits the home and writes a recommendation. The assessment itself is free and there is no income test for the OT visit.
The council confirms eligibility based on the OT report. For adults they run a means test; for children they confirm need.
They appoint a "Home Improvement Agency" (HIA) or you can choose your own contractor in some cases. The HIA gets quotes, supervises work, signs off completion.
The grant is paid directly to the contractor — you don't usually handle the money yourself.
Work happens, OT signs off, case closes.

End-to-end typically takes 6 to 12 months. Urgent cases (terminal illness, hospital discharge) can be fast-tracked in weeks.

Don't start work before approvalThe grant cannot cover any work started before the council approves it. If you've already paid for adaptations, you cannot retrospectively claim DFG.

Do I have to pay it back?

Usually no. The grant is non-repayable. The only exception in England is:

The grant was over £5,000, AND
You sell the property within 10 years

In that case the council may reclaim up to £10,000 from the sale proceeds. Children's grants never need repaying, regardless of property sale.

What if the grant isn't enough?

Some adaptations cost more than £30,000 — particularly downstairs extensions, through-floor lifts and complex kitchen rebuilds. Several routes can top up:

Many councils offer discretionary top-up beyond the statutory cap for high-need cases
The Independence at Home charity (and similar charities like the Lifecycle Trust) can help with the shortfall
If the person has a terminal illness, Marie Curie and Macmillan grants can help with fast adaptations
Foundations Independent Living Trust (foundations.uk.com) gives advice across England

Scotland: the grant that replaces the DFG

Scotland does not have a Disabled Facilities Grant, and it does not have a £30,000-style cap either. Instead, every council runs a Scheme of Assistance under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006. Inside it there is a mandatory grant: if the council decides an adaptation to your home is essential, it must give you a grant towards it.

Everyone gets at least 80% of the cost of work covered by the mandatory grant — and that 80% does not depend on your income.
100% is paid if you receive certain means-tested benefits. The Scottish Government’s published list names Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance and the Guarantee element of Pension Credit. That list predates Universal Credit, so if you are on Universal Credit ask your council directly whether you qualify for the 100% rate — do not assume you don’t.
Many councils top up the 80% further. This top-up is usually means-tested and varies by council — ask yours what its Scheme of Assistance says.
There is no upper cash limit on the work or the grant, though the council must be satisfied the cost is reasonable.

How to start it in Scotland

Contact your council’s social work team and ask for a needs assessment — usually carried out by an Occupational Therapist. You must have one to get the grant, and the assessment decides whether the work counts as essential.
Ask for a copy of the council’s Scheme of Assistance, which sets out what it treats as essential work and what other help it offers.
A local Care and Repair service (usually for people who are 60+ or disabled) can help you apply and manage the work. Care and Repair is the support service — the money comes from the council grant.
Don’t start the work before the council approves it.

If you’re unhappy with the decisionYou can complain to the council if you disagree with its decision about your care needs or your eligibility. Free, independent help: Citizens Advice Scotland.

Source: gov.scot — Funding Adaptations to the home (linked from mygov.scot), read in full 13 July 2026. Council tenants and private tenants have their own routes — ask the council or landlord.

Caring for someone? Check what else you may be missing. Open the parent-care hub →

Source verification Primary sources: GOV.UK — Disabled Facilities Grants (framework: Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996) and, for Scotland, gov.scot — Funding Adaptations to the home: a guide for homeowners (the guide mygov.scot links to), read in full this session. Last verified 13 July 2026. Confidence High: the DFG caps (£30,000 England, £36,000 Wales, £25,000 Northern Ireland); the fact that Scotland has no Disabled Facilities Grant and instead uses each council’s Scheme of Assistance under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, with a mandatory grant of at least 80% of the cost of essential work, 100% for people on the listed means-tested benefits, no upper cash limit, and access through a social work needs assessment. Confidence Medium: the adult means test detail in England, and council discretionary top-ups (set locally). Stated honestly, not guessed: the Scottish Government’s published 100%-grant benefit list names legacy benefits and does not mention Universal Credit, so we tell Universal Credit claimants to ask their council rather than assert an answer we cannot verify. Scope: England, Wales and Northern Ireland use the DFG; Scotland does not. Reviewed quarterly and at tax-year start.

Disabled Facilities Grant — common questions

Who is eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

You can apply if you (or someone living with you) is disabled, the adaptation is necessary and appropriate, and the work is reasonable and practicable for the property. Both homeowners and tenants can apply. There's no upper age limit and disability includes physical, sensory, mental health and progressive conditions.

How much is a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Up to £30,000 in England, £36,000 in Wales, and £25,000 in Northern Ireland. Scotland does not have the Disabled Facilities Grant at all — see the question below. Some English councils top up beyond £30,000 for complex cases. The grant is means-tested for adults but NOT for children (under-19).

Is there a Disabled Facilities Grant in Scotland?

No — and this catches people out. Scotland uses each council's Scheme of Assistance instead. If the council assesses an adaptation as essential it must give you a mandatory grant: at least 80% of the cost, or 100% if you get certain means-tested benefits. There's no upper cash limit, and many councils top up the 80%. Start by asking your council's social work team for a needs assessment. Full Scotland section →

What adaptations does the grant cover?

Anything that helps the disabled person live more independently at home: stairlifts and through-floor lifts, ramps, widening doorways for wheelchairs, walk-in showers and downstairs bathrooms, hoists, adapted kitchens, specialist heating, secure access. The OT decides what's necessary.

How do I apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant?

Apply directly to your local council. The first step is usually a free Occupational Therapy assessment. Ask your council's social services or adult care team to arrange one. The OT writes a report; the council then runs the grant means test (for adults) and arranges the work.

Do I have to pay the grant back?

Usually not. The grant does not need to be repaid unless you sell the property within 10 years and the grant was over £5,000 — in that case the council may reclaim up to £10,000 from sale proceeds (England only). Children's grants never need repaying.

Sources: Disabled Facilities Grant · GOV.UK Disabled Facilities Grants. Foundations Independent Living Trust · foundations.uk.com. Independence at Home · independenceathome.org.uk. Last reviewed: May 2026. SortedUK is independent — not a government service.

Up to £30,000 from your council for home adaptations.