Disabled adaptations and equipment

We provide help and guidance with disabled facilities, grants and adaptations.

We aim to enable customers to continue to live independently in their own homes by providing equipment and making modifications that meet their needs.

We can help anyone living in Bolton at Home properties or private housing (owners or tenants).  Grants are available towards the cost of providing specific major adaptations for private sector customers.

How the does the service work?

When you contact us, we'll take some basic information; name, address and contact details.  We’ll ask if you currently have any equipment that meets your needs e.g. a bath seat, additional grab rails. This is to check if minor aids or adaptations have been considered.

If you want to go ahead with an enquiry, Bolton Council's Independent Living Service will need to visit your home to carry out an initial assessment or review any equipment or aids already provided.  If the enquiry is in relation to a child, you’ll need to contact Bolton Council’s paediatric service on 01204 462670 or we can do this on your behalf.

The contact details for the Independent Living Services Team is 01204 337020 and 01204 337900.

Further information on their services is available here.

Based on the information you provide, you’ll either be given advice or offered a full assessment of your home. If a full assessment is needed, this will be carried out within six to eight weeks for most cases. If, however, the assessing officer considers there to be a higher risk, this could be sooner.

Please note that the assessment may indicate that a piece of equipment such as a bath board or tap turners for examples may be sufficient to meet your need. If this is the case, these will be provided free of charge by the Independent Living Service.

What is an adaptation?

This is usually a structural change to the property to help customers to continue to live independently in their own home.

There are two levels of adaptation:

  • Minor adaptation.

This is small work (usually under £1000 in value). For example: additional grab rail/s in and around the property, additional stair rail, half step to an entrance, small ramps.

If needs can be met by a minor adaptation, Bolton at Home will organise this Bolton at Home tenants and Independent Living Services for private properties.

  • Major adaptation.

These will be large scale works. For example: removing a bath and installing a level access shower or fitting a stair lift.

How is an adaptation funded?

If the adaptations are for Bolton at Home tenants, this is known as a Disabled Facility Adaptation. This will be carried out at no cost to the tenant.

If the adaptations are for an owner occupier or private tenant, this is known as a Disabled Facility Grant. There is legislation that sets out how the grant is awarded.
The application will need a test of resources to be carried out to assess if a contribution should be made. In most cases, where the applicant is on a low income, the full cost of the works will be covered by the Disabled Facility Grant. If the application is for a child, there is no test of resources.

Further information about the test of resources is available here.

What's the criteria for being assessed for an adaptation?

You’ll need to satisfy either of the two sets of criteria below:

Set 1

You’re substantially disabled and are unable to undertake most of the following personal care tasks without the assistance of another person or without necessary equipment:

  • Getting into and around your home.
  • Getting to and in/out of bed.
  • Getting to and using washing facilities.
  • Getting to and using a toilet, chemi-loo or commode.
  • Dressing.
  • Eating or drinking.

And:

  • Your carer is unable to continue to look after you, or;
  • There’s been a serious deterioration in your health, or;
  • There’s considerable risk of personal injury.

 

Set 2

You have a significant disability but are able to carry out some personal care tasks without help. However, you need some help with one or more of the following but not all of the time:

  • Getting into and around your home.
  • Getting to and in/out of bed.
  • Using your existing facilities to wash.
  • Getting to and using a toilet, chemi-loo or commode.
  • Dressing.
  • Cooking/making drinks.

And:

  • You are/or your carer is under increasing stress, or;
  • There’s a gradual deterioration in your health, or;
  • You’re at potential risk of injury.