Maintaining or adapting your home

When a person with a disability or health problems experiences difficulty in getting about safely and independently in their home, changes can be made which will help them to overcome the problem and make their home more suitable to their needs. You may have heard of people who have installed a stair lift, ramp or accessible shower in their home.

Older people and people with disabilities or health problems can be more vulnerable than others to extremes of hot and cold weather, and to damp conditions. To help them to stay healthy their home needs to be healthy too. Of course all of this costs money. But there is often money available to help you to pay towards the cost of any work needed. There is also assistance available if you are struggling to keep on top of odd jobs and DIY around the home; whether you need to change a light bulb, redecorate your home, or tackle an overgrown garden there may be someone out there who can help- the People First website lists these resources.

Contact Details:

Website: www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk

Occupational therapy assessments for home adaptations

If you have a disability and your council home causes you problems, it may be possible to reduce these by altering or adapting your home to help you live life as fully and independently as possible. The adaptation can be very simple like an extra stair rail or more complex like a stair lift. The council organises all the work to be carried out, but due to the demand for adaptations to homes, it is necessary to have a prioritisation system. They prioritise applications so that the most urgent cases are dealt with quickly, and cases need to have had an assessment from a council occupational therapist to see what work is needed.

The Council website has details of who is eligible and how to apply.

Contact Details:

H&F Advice
145-155 King Street
Hammersmith
W6 9XY
Telephone: 020 8753 4198
Minicom: 020 8753 5089 (for deaf and hearing impaired people)
Email: h&fadvice.care@lbhf.gov.uk
Website: www.lbhf.gov.uk

Grants for home adaptations for those with disabilities

The council offers grants to help people who have a disability adapt their home to make it easier for them to continue to live there or maintain their independence. The disabled person must be registered as disabled with Community Services or meet the criteria for registration if they applied. The applicant must be an owner occupier, private landlord, private tenant or the tenant of a Registered Social Landlord. Owners or tenants of houseboats and park homes are included. A recommendation is required from an occupational therapist that the work is necessary and appropriate. The Council website has further details.

Contact Details:

H&F Advice
145-155 King Street
Hammersmith
London W6 9XY
Telephone: 020 8753 4198 – Option 3
Minicom: 020 8753 5089 (for deaf and hearing impaired people)
Email: h&fadvice@gov.uk or h&fadvice.care@lbhf.gov.uk
Website: www.lbhf.gov.uk