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Hi @Tee557
Welcome to the community!
The first step is to arrange for a Community Occupational Therapist (OT) to come to your home to assess the facilities and your brother's needs.
If they agree that he is unable to use the existing bath, even with the addition of equipment, then having a shower fitted under the Disabled Facilities Grant Scheme (DFG) might be possible.
DFG's are means tested for adults, any adaptations need to be done by the most cost effective method. So if it is cheaper to replace the bath with a shower, rather than install a bath in addition to the shower, that is likely to be what is suggested. You could challenge this if there is a justification for why other members of the household must have a bath rather than a shower.
You can seek a referral to the Community OT by contacting your local authority.
Hope this helps, please post again if you need further clarification.
Best Wishes
Jean
Hi @Jurph
In response to your questions:
DFG's are potentially available to renters and those that own their property. People that rent do have to gain the permission of their landlord to adapt the property so that can sometimes be problematic.
DFG's are not means-tested for children. For adults they look at the income of the disabled person. If the disabled person is living with a partner they are financially assessed as a couple.
More details can be found on the Scope website:
https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/disabled-facilities-grant
No - if you are a disabled adult living with your parents (regardless of if they are tenants or owners) - you would be the DFG applicant and the means-testing would be based on your income. The Community OT that has advised that the adaptation is necessary should be able to assist with making the grant application.
Hope this helps
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