Disabled adaptations

Our Home Improvement Agencies are committed to meeting the needs of people who have a disability. Working together with you, we aim to find the best solution for your situation. This may involve Adult and Community Services, Children's Services or Occupational Therapy.

The 'Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act' requires local authorities to assist disabled people by providing aids and adaptations as well as adapting existing facilities. The 'Housing Construction and Regeneration Act' details the entitlement to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant in the case of a major adaptation. Solutions can range from adapting your current home, in extreme cases, to re-housing you to a more suitable property.

What are adaptations?

Adaptations are alterations to your home that are made to improve your independence in everyday tasks. They are divided into two categories Minor and Major.

Minor Adaptations

Works that are done on a small scale which do not need any structural changes to your home, for example:

• Grab rails
• Stair / banister rails
• External hand rails
• Wheelchair ramps (dependant upon size )
• Fitting lever tap handles

Major Adaptations

Works that need structural changes to your home, for example:

• Fitting a stair lift
• Through floor lifts
• Extensions to the property to facilitate disabled access
• Replacing a bath with a walk-in shower
• Adapting your home for wheelchair use (wider doorways)
• Large scale wheel chair ramps

I think I need an adaptation, where do I start?

For advice and information you can telephone Vale & Dale and staff will give appropriate advice.

If your enquiry relates to minor adaptations, then the agency may be able to carry out this work. If your needs are more complex, and a major adaptation is required, staff will ask you to contact Adult and Community Services or the Occupational Therapy Department, to request an assessment of need. The agency can do this for you, provided they have your permission.

There may be many options to help you with your situation and an adaptation is one of the options that will be considered.

Please Note: If you are in hospital, and in need of a minor adaptation in order to return home, the hospital will arrange, through the Occupational Therapy Department, to have the work carried out as quickly as possible.

How much will the adaptation cost?

If you are an owner-occupier or living in private rented accommodation then, in many cases, minor adaptations are free of charge, if referred by the Occupational Therapists. If you are a tenant at Broadacres then we provide minor adaptations free of charge.

If a major adaptation is required, there may be a need to submit an application for a Disabled Facilities Grant, the agency can assist with this and it will be done in conjunction with the Occupational Therapy Department.

A member of staff can help you fill in the form and guide you through the grants process if necessary.

Important: The Disabled Facilities Grant is a means tested grant; again, our Home Improvement Agencies can offer appropriate advice, if needed.

How long will it take to get an adaptation?

If a minor adaptation is classed as ‘urgent’ or if you need one in order to return home from hospital, we will aim to complete the work within 2 working days of receiving the referral.

Minor adaptations, which can be defined as non-urgent, are dealt with on a first come first served basis, and we aim to finish these jobs within 2-3 weeks of receiving the referral however, in extreme cases and dependant upon the type of work this could take up to 30 day.

If you require major adaptations to be done, then dependant upon the type of work required ,the process could be quite long as there is much more involved and each case will undergo different stages of application. Detailed customer information can be obtained by contacting the relevant local authority for your area or our Home Improvement Agency.

Contacts for Advice and Information on disability issues

Vale & Dale Home Improvement Agency
Broadacres House
Mount View
Standard Way
Northallerton
North Yorkshire
DL6 2YD

Contact: Joan Irving
0845 2008646/01609 767983
Fax: 01609 777017

If you are resident in Hambleton, Richmondshire and Ryedale areas:

Email: Vale and Dale