Adaptations to the home

If you, or the person you care for is disabled and lives in Plymouth permanently, we may be able to help you by providing information, advice and support to adapt your home to better meet your needs.

We employ Occupational Therapists (OTs) and Community Care Workers and part of their work is to carry out assessments for home adaptations. We use ‘Fair Access to Care Services’ guidance from the Department of Health to help us work out who is eligible for a service. To find out more, please see the help from adult social care service page.

An OT assessment will help to determine whether your home could be adapted to meet your needs, and the following factors will be considered as part of this assessment:

• The effect of the disability on daily living
• Whether the person is registered or could be registered as disabled
• What works are required
• Whether the property can be adapted
• Whether the works are reasonable
• The household financial circumstances
• Family composition and the needs of carers

For major adaptation work you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) which is a financially assessed grant for people who live in private houses.

If you are assessed as not eligible for PCC assistance, or wish to arrange an adaptation privately, then the city’s Care and Repair service may be able to carry out the required adaptation through their low cost Handyperson service, or may be able to give you advice on how best to proceed.

Care and Repair is an agency supported by the City Council to provide housing repairs, advice and support to people over the age of 60 and to disabled people of all ages.