Around 10 million people in England and Wales are registered as disabled - that's almost 18% of the population, which is a pretty big number.
While not all of these disabilities are connected with mobility, a great proportion of them are, which means that hundreds of thousands of UK citizens face daily challenges relating to accessibility that few able-bodied people understand or even consider.
At the Bathroom Crew, we do understand to a degree, as we specialise in fitting accessible showers and wet rooms for disabled customers. It's a privilege to be able to bring a measure of comfort and freedom to those who desperately need it; everyone deserves to feel comfortable in their own home and not feel as if it is working against them!
But, all of these improvements come at a cost, and not everyone is able to afford to have a walk-in shower, wet room or accessible bathroom installed, along with any other accessories to make life easier.
Thankfully, financial support is available for those who qualify, and this will come as a relief to anyone who needs a disabled bathroom but is worried about the cost, particularly in light of the cost-of-living crisis.
There are currently four schemes to assist disabled people with home improvements, and we'll check out each of these now to see what help is at hand:
Disabled facilities grants are awarded to help you make larger adaptations to your home so you can carry on living there, and the work must cost more than £1,000 as this is the minimum amount awarded. The good news is that any other benefits you currently receive won't be affected.
However, you need to make sure that you qualify for the disabled facilities grant in the first place.
The government information suggests that you can apply for a disabled facilities grant if you have the following:
This covers a few of the possibilities, although there are others not mentioned. When you apply for the disabled facilities grant, it's with a view to making alterations to your home to make it easier for you to live there.
The grant can be used for various improvements, such as installing ramps, widening doors or fitting a suitable heating system, although in relation to our work at the Bathroom Crew, it can be applied to providing an accessible bathroom, wet room or walk-in shower.
To qualify, you must also be one of the following:
Landlords can apply on behalf of private tenants if there is a disabled person living within the house.
One stipulation for qualifying for a disabled facilities grant is that you have lived in (or intend to live in) your property for at least five years. Your local authority will be flexible here to some extent if your health condition or personal circumstances mean that you can't guarantee this.
The DFG is means-tested, so the total amount depends on your household income and savings you have over the value of £6,000. However, disabled children (under 18) can receive a grant without taking their parent's income into account. You can get more information on this from your local council.
There is a limit to how much you will get*, and this will be up to your local council to decide based on your income and savings, as well as any other factors that might affect the outcome.
This table shows the maximum grant available for each region:
*In some cases, a local authority may decide to award a higher amount.
The funds will either be paid in instalments or as a lump sum when the work is finished. Your local council may pay the contractor directly or leave a cheque for you to pass on when everything is done.
Bear in mind that you won't necessarily be handed the full amount! For example, if you are only having a disabled bathroom fitted that costs about £5,000, that is the amount you'll be given.
Important note: never arrange for work to begin before you receive confirmation of the disabled facilities grant! Your local council may well refuse to pay up if you do.
You can get an application form (or fill out an online form) from your local housing office or environmental health department (or the Northern Ireland Housing Executive if you're in NI). If you are a housing association tenant you must get your landlord's permission beforehand.
You should also check with your local authority to see whether planning permission is required for any major work on your home.
During the application process, the council may send an occupational therapist to see what work needs to be undertaken to see what home adaptations are necessary. This will include things like grab rails, ramps, accessible heating or lighting controls, whether you need a downstairs bedroom, etc.
They will submit an OT assessment based on what they find, and this will determine the amount you receive.
If you prefer, or there's a delay in the application process due to a waiting list, you can use a private OT assessment if you have access to your own occupational therapist.
As the name suggests, this is for minor adaptations and can be used to install ramps and grab rails or to widen doors, etc. You can claim up to £1,000* towards these costs, including the fitting of bathroom installations or a downstairs bathroom.
Again, you'll need to apply for this through the local authorities, although it's more likely that you'll succeed as the amount involved is much smaller.
An occupational therapist will need to complete an assessment, but as the changes to your home will be minor, there's a good chance that the grant will be approved.
*As with the DFG, it depends on the local council involved, and some may provide a significantly bigger sum if they deem it necessary.
This is straightforward enough! If you qualify, you'll pay no VAT on your bathroom installation costs. Since January 2011, VAT has been set at 20%, adding a big chunk to the price of a new bathroom.
However, if you are registered as disabled or have a disabled child at home and need a downstairs bathroom with accessible facilities, you may be exempt from paying VAT even if you don't qualify for a disabled facility grant.
For example, if your disabled bathroom costs £6,500 with VAT, it will only cost you £5,200, a saving of £1,300.
Under another scheme, qualifying customers only pay 5% rather than 20% VAT on their new bathroom cost.
Using the same example, a £6,500 bathroom would cost £6,175, saving you £325. While it's not a massive saving, it is still worth taking the offer!
In addition to official government grant funding, you may be able to get charitable funding from various home improvement agencies (HIAs). These organisations are regional, often run by housing associations, independent charities and local authorities, and older and disabled people can apply for a disability grant towards the cost of making their homes more accessible.
It's worth exploring these avenues if you feel you need financial support, especially if you're on a low income.
So, whether you only need some minor adaptations or a full renovation of your bathroom to make it more accessible, take a moment to see whether you qualify for grant aid, either from the government or your local home improvement agencies.
If you need further advice, the Bathroom Crew are listening. And when you get the support you need, we'll be there to fit the bathroom you need to make life easier.
