"Unless it fully reviews the cap on the Disabled Facilities Grant to better reflect growing costs, the Government will make it impossible for many to afford the adaptations they desperately need"
- Ben Beadle - NRLA
According to the BBC, the Government is no longer committed to increasing the amount disabled people in England can claim to adapt their home. The fund, known as the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), is used to cover the costs of adaptations which those with disabilities may need to help them live independently.
The maximum amount a person can claim from the DFG is £30,000 in England which has been capped since 2008, meaning it has failed to keep up with inflation. The BBC reports that, despite a promise to consult on increasing the maximum amount that can be claimed, the Government has not taken this step forward.
Over 1.2 million households in the private rented sector in England have someone living in them with a disability or long-term illness. The DFG is a vital way to ensure properties can meet the needs of such tenants.
Previous research by the NRLA has found that, where landlords are aware of the DFG, they are far more likely to make adaptations to properties that disabled tenants need. However, the NRLA warns that unless the cap on the amount available is increased, it will become increasingly difficult to fund these.
Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: “Every disabled person deserves a home that meets their needs and enables them to live as independently as possible. To do so, however, requires adequate funding.
“Unless it fully reviews the cap on the Disabled Facilities Grant to better reflect growing costs, the Government will make it impossible for many to afford the adaptations they desperately need.
“Ministers need to keep their word and commit to uprating the grants available to disabled people.”
