Adapting your home
You can make changes to your home to help you manage and stay independent.
Take me to Major adaptations ↘ Paying for home adaptations ↘ Buying or renting an adapted home ↘ Disabled Facilities Grant ↘ Equipment and technology ↘ Getting an assessment ↘
Major adaptations
You may want to do major adaptations to your home to meet your longer-term needs that will involve building works to change the layout of your property. This might include:
- widening doorways so you can use a wheelchair
- permanent ramping
- stairlifts or through-floor lifts
- replacing bath or shower unit with a walk-in level access shower or wet rooms
- adding a downstairs toilet, bathroom or bedroom so you don't have to use the stairs
- installing low level kitchen units
You should carefully research and plan any major changes to your home.
If you live in a rented property, you'll need to get your landlord's permission to make changes.
Adaptations are not provided to people living in a residential or nursing home.
Paying for home adaptations
You and your family may be able to pay for the adaptations you need privately. Arranging adaptations yourself may be quicker and give you more choice and control.
Find tradespeople near you:
Redbridge Council may be able to help if you're not sure what to buy or need financial support. However, there will be limits to what we can do.
Age UK has information about financial and practical support for home improvement and repairs.
Some charities will be able to give you more information around funding larger adaptations, for example Money Advice Service and Living Made Easy.
Buying or renting an adapted home
Some homes have already been adapted. You can look online or in your local paper for suitable houses, bungalows or flats to buy. These are normally within special developments.
If you want to rent a home, you can contact your local housing association who will help you find a more suitable property.
Disabled Facilities Grant
You may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant if you're disabled or have a long-term health condition and need to make changes to your home.
Your application for the Disabled Facilities Grant will be subject to an assessment by the council's occupational therapy service.
The grants are means tested and depending on your financial situation, you may have to contribute towards the cost of the works. A Disabled Facilities Grant will not affect any benefits you receive.
An owner or private tenant can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant if they themselves have a disability or if they have a disabled person living with them.
Equipment and technology
You can find out more about:
Getting an assessment
If you have more complex needs, you can ask us for a care and support assessment from us to see what help might be available to you.
