Community care grant

Sam78

can anyone offer me advice on how to apply how long it takes to get one if i can and what adaptions can be placed in my home any advice or help will be welcomed 

Lasian_Alumni

Hi @Sam78,

I've found some information about community care grants that I hope is useful. If it's for making your house more accessible, have you seen an occupational therapist and looked into disabled facilities grants?

mikehughescq

Er, community care grants were abolished in 2013 and replaced by local welfare assistance in England, DFGs stilll exist, however, this depends on your housing status i.e. whether you’re an owner occupier, private tenant etc.

Sam_Alumni

Hi @Sam78

An occupational therapist (OT) can help identify aids or adaptations to help you remain at home. If your property is not suitable, the OT’s report will provide crucial evidence to the local housing department.

A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is a mandatory means-tested financial grant. It helps meet the cost of adapting a property (including mobile homes and houseboats) where a disabled person lives. The adaptations must meet the specific needs of the disabled person. Usually an OT will carry out the assessment. Proposed adaptations must be reasonable and practicable.

Jean_OT

Hi @Sam78

@mikehughescq is totally correct Community Care Grants no longer exist in  England, how confusing that the online guide published by the Job Centre doesn't make this clear.

For conformation of this fact see: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/jargon-buster/Social-Fund. Or for a more detailed look at the Local Welfare Assistance scheme that replaced it see: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Benefit-guides/Emergency-Assistance/Local-Welfare-Assistance

Community Care Grants are still available for those living in Scotland https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/benefits/help-if-on-a-low-income/scottish-welfare-fund-s/scottish-welfare-fund-community-care-grants-s/

Assuming you are in England, a Disabled Facilities Grant may well be the way forward, depending on your circumstances and the nature of the home adaptations you are assessed as needing. Definitely, the first step I would recommend you taking is requesting a home assessment by the Community Occupational Therapist.

Best Wishes

Jean  

Sam78

That’s great thank you all for all your help and advice thanks