Government announces halt to Disabled Facilities Grant increase

It was announced today that the Government have dropped a 2021 commitment to increase the amount of money to the Disabled Facilities Grant that disabled people in England can claim to adapt their homes, thereby making them more accessible.

The DFG is a means-tested grant for people aged 18 and over who live in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. What this means is the amount you could be eligible for depends on your household income and savings, with £30,000 the maximum amount a person can be entitled to claim, capped since 2008.

The DFG is available whether you rent or own your home. It’s also available for those living in a caravan or houseboat. Applying for and receiving this grant won’t affect any other benefits you may be receiving from your local authority. Disabled children and minors under 18 can get a grant without their parents’ income being considered.

In 2018 the government commissioned an external review which recommended that the upper limit of the Disabled Facilities Grant should rise in line with inflation, with further allowances made for more expensive areas.

In its initial 2021 proposal to re-cap the amount, the Government said “We are taking steps to ensure that the grant can reach more people who will benefit from it. We are increasing the amount that the grant can pay for an individual adaptation. This will mean that more people who need the grant across the country will be able to access it."

The government also promised to look at reforming the test which it said was "complex" and "difficult to navigate". It promised to consult all the measures around the DFG in 2022, along with how funding is distributed, but none of the consultations took place.

Anna Bird, the chief executive of the disability charity Contact, said unsuitable housing had "a huge detrimental impact on the physical and mental health of families with disabled children and this urgently needs to be addressed".

Dan white Policy and campaigns officer at DR UK said “Since the pandemic the costs of building materials has risen dramatically, and builders labour has risen. This coupled with the effects of the cost-of-living crisis upon the Disabled community and the fact that the DFG remains at £30,000 means it is virtually impossible for any Disabled people to make up the often-massive shortfall in building costs for their homes.”

“Adaptations to homes are often way above the £30,000 mark. This is seeing Disabled people and carers maxing out credit cards, trying sites like GoFundMe me or seeing their adaptions quote and cutting it dramatically or not proceeding with an accessible build at all because of the extra costings.”

“We need the government to do its homework on building costing or a mass countrywide build of decent accessible homes. For this to happen in the same week they announced that they plan to make the UK the most accessible place in the world is frankly bizarre.”

To apply for a DFG grant, click here.