Can I get assistance for adapting bathroom without going through social services?

mckee05

I wanted to know if I can get any assistance without going through social services to have my bathroom adapted. I recently had an bathing assessment with an O/T who said the only product they could supply was a wet room. She acknowledge the fact that a low level shower unit would also meet my needs but they wouldn't be able to provide that. Would you be able to advise whether there is any assistance available to have the work completed or alternatively any low interest loans so I could possibly pay for the work. As it is my own property I would like to choose the product

markyboy

I had a assessment by the OT and was advised i needed my bathroom converting they contacted the council who gave me a disability grant and they carried out the work by putting it out to tender

Topkitten

If O/T say you need a wet room and you are in a Council House then it is the council's responsibility to either get the work done or to offer you a move to more suitable accommodation. Contact the council and see what they say about it. If in private accommodation there are 2 options. If privately renting then you could move and if you own the property you should search the web for local charities that may give you a grant towards the work, those same charities may also help with the cost of moving. You may be means tested by any of the above before getting assistance, it depends on your circumstances and who you contact.

TK

Jean_OT

Hi

The alternative to the community OT, who is part of social service/your local authority, who potentially accesses Disabled Facilities Grant funding to pay for the work is to arrange and fund the work yourself. If you can't afford this then you could try seeking charitable grants:

 https://www.scope.org.uk/support/disabled-people/search-grants

However, generally speaking grants from charities are means tested, the funder will want you to justify why you aren't having the work done by a statutory organisation, and they will want an OT report to show what they are funding is suitable and necessary. Therefore, you might potentially need to think about commissioning a private OT report if you go down this route.

Sorry I don't have better news

Jean  

mckee05

I just want to thank you for all your advice and comments its just that I had all my bathroom tiled. I have High power jets which when your got pain it really helps the problem with the council there want to rip every thing out and put in a standard shower unit  to me why waste money when you don't have too I am trying to save them money and I want control of my home how I want things done  

feir

The problem is someone seems to have assessed all needs as having the same solution when this is not the case.

I've been referred to OT but don't want SS involved with me as they've always made things worse in the past. But we were never seen by anyone specifically to do with disabilities, which led me to believe they don't actually have such people.

mckee05

Can anybody tell me  if any thing can be done about ATOS. It all began last week My brother had to go to Scunthorpe from Hull for an assessment which is 36 miles there & 36 miles back, a total of 72 miles. The medical for my brother was due to him having learning difficulties. I rang them up to tell them that he couldn't go that far so they agreed to pay for a taxi. I said that I would take him in my car so that he would be safe and bring him back. I set my mileage from my home to his home and then went on to do 36 miles I filled in mileage form to claim my mileage back which was .25p per mile & sent it off. They disagreed with my mileage and are only prepared to award 54 miles. I followed my sat nav & even with that it was hard to find the medical centre. There were no clear instruction on where to find the centre & we had to stop & ask for directions. It turn out it was building that looked like it closed down with shutters down. When I rang ATOS to query the difference the lady I spoke to was not very helpful and said she google it and it seems that there was another way through villages. I didn't know  the town that I had to go to. I rang a few taxi services  to ask the price for doing 36 miles and tolls for the bridge and it would have been about £45 each way. All I could claim was 25pence per mile. I am grieved about that I was told that I could only claim from my brothers home. They will only be paying me £13 approx.  The taxi drivers that I rang said to me that they would have taken  the same route that I had taken. The lady who I spoke to was rude and said thats all I would be getting. Can anybody advise me. It seams they can do what their like with no come backs its no wonder they have bad press

poppy123456

Hi,

They will only pay you from your brothers home. They won't pay you the millage from your home to his to collect him. A home assessment would have been possible had he asked and sent a letter from his GP stating the reasons why. They would have also changed the appointment once to somewhere closer to his home, if they were asked. The problem with first assessment appointments is that they're computer generated and they automatically send out the first available appointment.