When your home adaptation may cost more than £30,000

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What the council should be looking at

In a high cost or complex case, the council and its partners should usually be asking:

• What does the disabled person need to live safely and with dignity?
• Can the current home be adapted to meet those needs?
• What options are available?
• What would each option cost?
• Who may need to help fund the work?
• Would moving to a more suitable home need to be considered?
• What does the disabled person and their family think?

Who may be involved

More people may need to be involved than in a standard adaptation case. This can feel daunting, but each person should have a clear role.

The team may include:

• the Disabled Facilities Grant team
• an occupational therapist
• a technical officer or surveyor
• a Home Improvement Agency or adaptations team
• adult social care or children’s services
• health services, where health needs are directly linked
• a housing association or landlord
• charities or other funders, where appropriate

You and your family should also be part of the process. The best decisions are made when professionals understand what daily life is really like in the home.

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A simple example

A family may ask for a downstairs bedroom and bathroom for a disabled child. Before agreeing the work, the council may need to check whether an extension is possible, whether the layout will still work as the child grows, how much the work will cost, and whether extra funding is needed.

That takes more planning than fitting a stairlift or adapting a bathroom. But good planning at the start can prevent delay and poor decisions later.

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What may happen next

Each council will have its own way of working. Some councils have a written high cost adaptations protocol. Others may not. In either case, the process may include the following steps.

1. The need is identified. The council realises the case may be high cost or complex.
2. The right people are brought together. This may include housing, occupational therapy, social care, health, technical staff, and the landlord.
3. Your needs are assessed. The occupational therapist looks at what the disabled person needs now and what may be needed in the future.
4. The property is checked. A technical officer or surveyor looks at whether the home can be adapted safely and sensibly.
5. Options are considered. The team looks at different ways to meet the need.
6. Costs and funding are explored. The council considers whether funding above £30,000 may be available and whether other organisations should contribute.
7. The options are discussed with you. You should have the chance to ask questions and explain what matters most to the disabled person and family.
8. A decision is made. The council should explain the decision and the reasons for it.

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Will moving home be considered?

Sometimes. This does not mean you are being forced to move. It means the council may need to consider whether another home could meet the disabled person’s needs better than the current one.

This can be a sensitive subject. Home is not just a building. It is neighbours, schools, routines, memories, care, and support. Any discussion about moving should be handled with care.

Moving should not be raised as a threat. It should only be considered as one possible option where the current home may not be suitable, or where very costly work would still not meet the person’s needs well.

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What funding may be considered?

If the adaptation is likely to cost more than £30,000, the council may need to look at other funding. This could include:

• extra discretionary Disabled Facilities Grant funding
• adult or children’s social care funding
• health funding, where the work is linked to health needs
• housing association funding
• landlord contributions
• charitable grants
• personal contributions, where relevant

Not every source of funding will apply in every case. Some funding depends on local policy. Some depends on assessed needs. Some depends on who owns the home.

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What if people disagree?

Disagreements can happen. You may disagree with the council about what is needed. Professionals may disagree with each other. Funding bodies may disagree about who should pay.

Ask the council how disagreements are handled. If there is a high cost adaptations protocol, it may include a way to pass unresolved issues to senior staff or a decision-making panel.

You should not be left stuck between different organisations. If several bodies are involved, they should work together to reach a clear decision.

If you do need to complain, the Local Government Ombudsman provides helpful advice.

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What you can do to help

You can help by giving clear examples of what daily life is like. Try to explain the practical problems, not just the adaptation you think is needed.

For example, instead of saying:

“We need a downstairs bathroom.”

It may help to say:

“The upstairs bathroom cannot be used safely. Two carers are helping with washing in the living room, and there is no private space for personal care.”

Real examples help the council understand the impact on safety, dignity, care, and family life.

In summary

A high cost adaptation process is used when a case needs more planning than a standard adaptation. It should bring the right people together, look at all realistic options, explore funding, and involve you and your family in decisions.

The most important thing is to ask your council what process it will follow. If it has a written protocol, ask for a copy. If it does not, ask for a clear explanation of the steps, timescales, people involved, and how decisions will be made.

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