We may be able to help make it easier for you to live independently by installing minor or major adaptations, depending on your needs.

You may need help if you or someone in your household:

• has a physical disability
• has a learning disability
• is an older person
• is autistic
• lives with a cognitive impairment, like dementia
• lives with a progressive condition, like motor neurone disease
• is receiving end-of-life support
• is experiencing mental health challenges

Minor adaptations

Minor adaptations are works that cost under £1,000. Anyone who is disabled can request a minor adaptation in their home which are provided free of charge.   

Minor adaptations include:

• adding handrails for support
• lever taps
• fixing shower seats
• banister handrails
• conveniently located electrical sockets and intercoms
• re-hanging of doors

To request minor works, call us on 0800 028 6070.

Some minor works can be approved without the need for an occupational therapist to visit such as lever taps or a grab rail. More complex minor works such as shower seats or handrails may need an occupational therapist to visit you to make sure they are installed in the correct positions to match your needs.

Major adaptations

You may need major adaptations such as:

• making bathrooms accessible by fitting level-access showers or wet rooms
• installing stairlifts or through floor lifts
• kitchen alterations
• ramps
• widening doors and fitting ramps for disabled access

Adult Social Services or the Child Health and Disability team may also be able to install certain equipment (such as a bath lift) to help you with basic living tasks.

We will need to decide whether the works are reasonable and practical and will consider:

• the structure of the building and whether it makes certain types of changes inappropriate
• how practical it is to make changes to the property such as structural or planning constraints, conservation considerations or locations that limit access
• the impact on other residents which might reduce or limit the existing facilities in the property
• whether it is an exemption to the disabled adaptation policy

Our policy is not to complete adaptations in under or over occupied homes, or properties above ground floor without a passenger lift.

This is not a blanket policy and if there are exceptional circumstances that would prevent a move to a more suitable property, these will be considered. To find out if your circumstances are considered as exceptional circumstances, you will need to be assessed by an occupational therapist. They will then prepare a report, and your case will be considered at a discretionary panel.