Housing Adaptation Grant for Disabled People

What can I use this grant for? 

You can use this grant to improve access in your home like adding: 

• A ramp or other ways to access your home
• Grab rails
• Bathroom facilities like an accessible shower or a downstairs toilet
• A Stair lift or through floor lift
• Fixed track hoists (excluding any servicing, maintenance and training costs)
• space for wheelchair access
• An Extension (typically for a bedroom and/or bathroom to accommodate a disabled person).

Occupational therapist assessment 

An occupational therapist (OT) will need to assess you if you are applying for any of the following

• A big change to the use of a room in your home
• A stair lift or through floor lift
• A fixed track hoist
• An extension. 

This is to make sure the right work is done in the home to suit your needs. Application Form Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and Disabled People 4 of 22 You can get this assessment report from a private occupational therapist. If your grant application is successful, your local authority will pay you up to €300 towards the cost of this assessment as part of the grant

How much is the grant for? 

It depends. The grant covers some of the cost of the work needed, but not all of it. The amount of money you get depends on your household income for the previous tax year (or the current tax year in some special cases – see page 16). You need to supply this information on this form on page 14. There are some disregards and deductions that can reduce the amount of household income that your local authority takes into account. We explain these on pages 8-9. The most you can get is €40,000 or 100% of the total cost of the work approved by your local authority (whichever is less). 

Note: A grant is not available if the household income is more than €75,000, after the disregards and deductions are applied. If the owner (and their spouse) of the home earn €75,000 or less, after the disregards and deductions are applied, the table below shows information on how much of a grant you can get.

What the grant does not cover? 

It does not cover the VAT cost of the work. You may be able to reclaim (get back) some of the VAT from Revenue after you have paid for the work (see www.revenue.ie for more information). 

Important information about income 

How your household income will affect the grant If your application is successful, the amount of grant you can get depends on your household income for the previous tax year (or the current tax year in some special cases – see page 16). When working the amount out, your local authority will consider the income earned by the owner (and their spouse if it applies) if you or your family own the home. 

Information on disregards, there are some payments from the Department of Social Protection (DSP) that are not taken into account when working out your household income. These are called disregards, and they include: 

• Carer’s Benefit / Allowance 
• Carer’s Support Grant 
• Child Benefit 
• Domiciliary Care Allowance 
• Foster Care Allowance 
• Fuel Allowance 
• Household Benefits Package 
• Living Alone Increase 
• Working Family Payment 

Information on deductions there are five types of deductions that reduce the amount of household income that your local authority takes into account. 

1. A deduction of €6,250 applies for each member of the household who is
   • Aged under 18 years or aged under 23 years if in full-time education. 
2. A deduction of €6,250 applies if a relative is caring full-time for the person who the grant is for. 
3. A deduction of up to €6,250 applies for housing costs such as rent or mortgage repayments for the home where the works will be done. 
4. A deduction of up to €12,500 applies if the owner is paying the residential care fees of a:
   • Spouse or other owner of the home
5. A deduction of up to €12,500 (or up to €6,250 if deduction 2 is also claimed) where the owner is paying for homecare fees for:
   • their own care
   • A spouse

Another person living in the home.