can i get a grant or help for a downstairs toilet

Sunshinejourney

I am not sure if this is the right section to put this in. I suffer from chronic pain and i have fallen down the stairs many times and have to be helped up the stairs to go to the toilet. Going to the toilet and climbing the stairs makes my pain worse. It is so bad that when i need to go toilet i will delay it for up to five hours. My wife has said we could do with a downstairs toilet under the stairs or an extension, but an extension we could not afford.

I am just wondering if there is any help out there for me to make my life easier

poppy123456

HI and welcome,

First you need to refer yourself to your local council for a needs assessment. See link. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/getting-a-needs-assessment/

There's a disabled facilities grant that you can apply for from your local council. https://www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants

It's not guaranteed that you will receive this and if there's other ways of helping you, then they could choose that instead of the grant.

Hope this helps.

Tori_Scope

Hello and welcome to the community @Sunshinejourney Thanks for joining.

You've posted this in the correct category, so don't worry. It could have fit into a few! 

As Poppy said, you should look into getting a need assessment. You can read more about that process on the getting home adaptions page on the Scope website. You can also read about disability grants for home adaptations on the Scope website, including some information about the Disabled Facilities Grant that Poppy also mentioned.

Please let us know if you have any further questions, and feel free to get stuck-in with any other discussions that interest you!

chiarieds

Hi @Sunshinejourney - I just wanted to welcome you to the community, as I see you've already received some useful advice.

Sunshinejourney

Thank you. I do not class myself as disabled, but the problem I have is, due to shoulder and arm problems which causes chronic pain, i find it very hard to get up the stairs. I have to be aided by my wife or daughter and that still causes me a lot of pain. the pain also causes me to fall. i will look at the information and see if it would be worth contacting them. before covid19, my pain management team were arranging for someone to come out to see about putting a rail on the otherside so i could hold onto it with my other arm. However, that was delayed due to covid, and now all pain management patients have been transfered from the small hospital to a new service, which to be honest they are pointless. It has annoyed me that i was getting real help from a hospital and now the local health authority have outsourced the contract to another company who believe new age stuff can help with chronic pain

janer1967

Hi and welcome on board , have you considered a stair lift as an alternative to the downstairs toilet may be cheaper and less disruptive 

poppy123456

janer1967 said:

Hi and welcome on board , have you considered a stair lift as an alternative to the downstairs toilet may be cheaper and less disruptive 

This could potentially be something that would be looked at before even considering the downstairs toilet.