The right home environment can allow a disabled person to live more independently, but it can be difficult to make decisions when you don’t know what options might be available.
Some common home adaptations are:
- A level access shower if you are struggling to get in or out of the bath
- Stairlifts or through floor lifts to help you get upstairs
- Ramps and rails to help you get into your home
- Door widening to help you get around
The Elderly Accommodation Counsel offers a handy questionnaire on what home adaptations or housing options may be right for you.
You might be able to get a grant towards the cost of adapting your home if you or someone you live with has a disability.
This applies to adults and children who live in Tamworth.
Making an enquiry
The first step for anyone struggling to manage daily tasks at home is to contact Staffordshire Cares for an initial assessment.
- For adults, please call 0300 111 8010, or email staffordshirecares@staffordshire.gov.uk
- For children, please call 0800 1313 126, or email childrensotenquiries@staffordshire.gov.uk
- You can also visit the Staffordshire Cares website for more information
An advisor will ask about how you are managing at home and talk to you about what support they may be able to offer. It could be that simple adaptations or equipment can be sent out, or, with your consent, they may refer you for other specialist support. This could be a social care assessment or make an enquiry to us if they feel an assessment for more permanent adaptations is needed.
Next steps
Once we have received your enquiry, we will get in touch to ask a few more questions about the request, the things you are struggling with and your financial circumstances.
The need for an adaptation will be assessed by an occupational therapist, or suitably qualified professional, with experience about the type of adaptations or equipment that can help someone to live more independently.
If it’s felt home adaptations offer the best solution, the OT or professional will submit an assessment to us for consideration. This will outline the most appropriate adaptations to your home.
Please note that our service can be very busy at times and there may be a delay in processing enquiries.
Applying for funding
The maximum grant available is £30,000, but the actual amount you will receive is based on the cost of adaptations needed, plus any reasonable fees connected to the grant.
Adaptations for disabled children (under the age of 19), council tenants or disabled people in receipt of certain benefits are known as ‘passported applicants’. This means they are passported to a full grant and will not have to make a contribution.
Other applicants and their partners will need to undergo a financial assessment, commonly called a test of resources, to see if a contribution is needed towards some, or all, of the cost.
The online calculator at Adapt My Home gives an estimate of how much, if anything, you might need to contribute.
Depending on the extent of work required and the feasibility of being able to complete it, we might discuss your options around moving home.
For council tenants, this may mean moving to a more suitable property with existing adaptations. If this involves downsizing, the incentive to move scheme may also apply.
How we can support you
We appreciate the grant process can be complicated and daunting, but we are here to help every step of the of the way.
We will:
- Where relevant, assess your financial circumstances to calculate if you need to contribute towards the cost of works
- Arrange for a technical officer to visit your home to discuss the adaptations
- Draw up a schedule of works and plans (including planning permission or building regulations approval if required)
- Assist in the completion of formal application forms
- Supervise the contractor on site and arrange the final payment to contractors
- Collect certificates and guarantees from contractors and pass them on to you
If you prefer, you can choose to manage the application process yourself. Please email us at adaptations@tamworth.gov.uk if you would like more information about this.
More information on the process and the support on offer through the council can be found within our adopted housing assistance policy. For council tenants specifically, you can see the interim policy position statement.
Contact us
If you need to speak to someone about applying for home adaptations, please contact Staffordshire Cares using the information at the top of the page to begin with. If you need to speak to us about an existing case, please email adaptations@tamworth.gov.uk. Please note, members of our team are often out completing casework and may not reply immediately.