If you own your own home or are a private tenant, you might be eligible for a grant to help pay for adaptations. If you are a council tenant, we can help adapt your home to your needs.
Home adaptations for homeowners and private tenants
If you are on a low income and someone in your household has a disability, you might be eligible for a grant to help pay for adaptations to your home.
The Cambridgeshire Home Improvement Agency (Cambs HIA) administers Disabled Facilities Grants. They can also arrange for the work to be carried out.
The grants are available to people living in most types and tenures of housing, although adaptations for council tenants are usually dealt with separately – see below.
We or Cambs HIA will consult with Cambridgeshire County Council’s social services. We might need an occupational therapist to assess your needs.
You might have to repay some of the grant when you sell or leave the property.
Our Housing Adaptations, Repairs and Renewals Policy explains in more detail, including eligibility and conditions.
Home adaptations for council tenants
If you need to install grab rails, lever taps, half-steps or second banister rails at home, contact us to discuss your requirements.
We can also arrange larger adaptations to your home. These require assessment by an occupational therapist – contact the county council on 0345 045 5202 to arrange this. The occupational therapist will visit you at home and assess your needs, then write to us requesting any necessary adaptations. If the work is possible, we will organise contractors to make the adaptations.
Improvements we can install include:
- accessible kitchens
- ramps
- walk-in and over-the-bath showers
- stairlifts
- ground-floor toilets
It might be more appropriate for you to move to a more suitable property. We might help with moving costs and you might also receive financial incentives to downsize.
If we cannot adapt your property to meet your disability needs or you would like to move to a more suitable property, you can apply via Home-Link. If you have any queries please contact your housing officer or the adaptations officer.
We will arrange for an occupational therapist to identify the type of property suitable for you. This may be a city council home, one with a housing association or a newly-built adapted property. You will need to bid on suitable properties via Home-Link.
