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The Council notes changes to Facility Grants for the Disabled

Published: 07/09/2023

As a Local Authority, Flintshire County Council (FCC) has a mandatory duty to provide Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) for adapting or providing facilities for a disabled person, to support them to continue living independently in their home. 

The Disabled Adaptations Policy has recently been amended to align adaptations in the private sector and those for local authority council housing.

The statutory limit for any DFG is set by the Welsh Assembly Government and is currently £36,000 per application within a five-year period. The grant is means tested, unless the application is for a child, or the applicant is in receipt of certain qualifying benefits. 

However, there is a Discretionary Grant Policy whereby medium size adaptations may not means tested unless it is a combination of works, this is at the discretion of the Disabled Adaptations Manager.

Properties are then assessed by a surveyor and an occupational therapist to make appropriate considerations to determine the best long-term solution for the individual and their needs, as well as the most cost-effective solution before embarking on any adaptations.

Adaptations for the Local Authority Housing sector follow the same legislation and Welsh Government Standards as the Disabled Facilities Grant, however, there are some differences as the adaptations are paid using the Housing Revenue Account. As a responsible Council it’s important to make best use of our housing stock and the budget available and therefore, the Disabled Adaptations Policy now provides full details on additional considerations when deciding whether to approve the adaptations, whether it be for a DFG or Local Authority Housing.

Since 2021 FCC has completed over 250 private sector medium/large adaptations and since 2022 over 600 small adaptations and over 160 medium/large adaptations for the Local Authority Sector. 

Vicky Clark – Housing and Communities Chief Officer said “By aligning adaptations for the private sector with those for local authority council housing, will have a positive impact on the longer-term solutions to enable disabled people in our communities to live safely and more comfortably in their own home for longer.”

Councillor Sean Bibby – Cabinet Member, Housing and Regeneration said, “Integration across the Disabled Adaptations Policy is a positive example of collaboration across sectors to support disabled people within our communities in a more effective and efficient way.”