Hi, does anyone know if there are any grants/financial support available to private home owners?
We were allocated our house 7 years ago (its ex council, which we bought) as it met most of our son's medical needs. Unfortunately the local authority adaptations team were unable to provide an additional toilet/shower in the house for our son. It has been very difficult for him (and the rest of the family) having the use of only one bathroom.
To cut a long story short, i have seen a house on the market very near his school and my work that ticks all the boxes in meeting his needs. Unfortunately it is over our budget.
I am trying to find out if there is some kind of grant available as the local authority have failed to meet his disability needs, i seem to remember reading about some sort of financial help, but i am unsure of the criteria or who it is available to.
Has anyone else found themselves in this situation - or can offer me advice.
Thanks
P.S.Great site - loads of information, wish i knew about it before

(03-16-2011 03:14 PM)dreamchaser Wrote:  Hi, does anyone know if there are any grants/financial support available to private home owners?
We were allocated our house 7 years ago (its ex council, which we bought) as it met most of our son's medical needs. Unfortunately the local authority adaptations team were unable to provide an additional toilet/shower in the house for our son. It has been very difficult for him (and the rest of the family) having the use of only one bathroom.
To cut a long story short, i have seen a house on the market very near his school and my work that ticks all the boxes in meeting his needs. Unfortunately it is over our budget.
I am trying to find out if there is some kind of grant available as the local authority have failed to meet his disability needs, i seem to remember reading about some sort of financial help, but i am unsure of the criteria or who it is available to.
Has anyone else found themselves in this situation - or can offer me advice.
Thanks
P.S.Great site - loads of information, wish i knew about it before

Hi I am sorry to say that this grant is area specific. The DFG is made up of different componants and different areas have different policies on this. So it comes back to the old postcode lottery. Also whether its available in Scotland.
I live in Plymouth and they essentially have 2 pots of DFG money one mandatory for things like ramps, access, tolieting etc, which is a legal requirement to provide, and one which is discrestionary, which they call the assist to move. For us they came and did an assessment on our house and decided it was too expensive to adapt and gave us funds to help us move and paid our moving costs. The loop hole being that it would cost more to do the renovations than it would to move house. Or the adaptatiions were not actually possible.
So wherever you live you get the adaptations grant, but only your local council would know if they have the funds for an assist to move. Its worth a call to find out if your local council do it and if your not sure of their number your sons OT should be able to help you.
Hope this helps
Maria x x
(This post was last modified: 12-14-2011 09:15 PM by MariaH.)

What is it your after the grant for? The adaptions or to help toward the new house? I do believe the act foundation do similar grants to the dfg. I'll see what I can find xxx