Published 7 November 2026
Quick answer: There is no Disabled Facilities Grant in Scotland. Councils there pay for essential adaptations through the Scheme of Assistance, which must cover at least 80% of the approved cost, or 100% for people on certain benefits. Wales and Northern Ireland do have a Disabled Facilities Grant: up to £36,000 in Wales, usually with no means test for small and medium jobs, and up to £35,000 in Northern Ireland, which the Housing Executive can raise to £70,000.
Last checked: 7 November 2026. What we checked: GOV.UK Disabled Facilities Grants guide, legislation.gov.uk (Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, SSI 2008/406, WSI 2008/2370, NISR 2003/463 as amended by NISR 2023/2), gov.scot, mygov.scot, Citizens Advice Scotland, GOV.WALES, Senedd Research, nidirect and the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.
Who this is for: anyone in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland who needs a ramp, level-access shower, stairlift, through-floor lift or other change at home and wants to know who pays.
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. What gets funded depends on an assessment of the disabled person’s needs by an occupational therapist (OT) or the council, so start there.
Why “disabled facilities grant Scotland” turns up nothing
The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) comes from the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996, which covers England and Wales. Northern Ireland has its own version under its own housing law. Scotland took a different route. GOV.UK’s DFG guide lists maximums for England, Wales and Northern Ireland and says plainly that the grant is not available in Scotland.
If you live in England, our full guide to the Disabled Facilities Grant in England covers the £30,000 limit, the means test and the application steps. This page deals only with the other three nations.
The four nations side by side
| England | Scotland | Wales | Northern Ireland | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What it is called | Disabled Facilities Grant | Scheme of Assistance (mandatory grant for adaptations) | Disabled Facilities Grant, plus the ENABLE scheme | Disabled Facilities Grant |
| Who runs it | Local council | Local council, after a social work or OT assessment | Local council; Care & Repair agencies deliver many small jobs | Northern Ireland Housing Executive, after a Health and Social Care Trust OT recommends the work |
| Maximum grant | £30,000 (GOV.UK) | No upper limit in the Scottish Government’s 2011 homeowner guide; the council checks costs are reasonable; check your council’s statement | £36,000 | £35,000, which the Housing Executive may raise to £70,000 |
| Means test | Yes, except for disabled children | No test for the basic 80%; 100% if on certain benefits | No means test for small and medium DFGs; large ones usually tested | Yes (“test of resources”), except work for a child in a household getting Child Benefit |
| How to start | Council | Council social work service or health and social care partnership | Council (owners); your landlord (tenants) | Local Health and Social Care Trust OT service |
| Official page | GOV.UK | gov.scot / mygov.scot | GOV.WALES | nidirect / NIHE |
Each row is explained below, with the source behind it.
Scotland: the Scheme of Assistance
What the law says
Part 2 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 lets councils help with work on private homes, and section 71 lists adapting a house for a disabled person as one of the purposes. The Scheme of Assistance Regulations 2008 then make part of that help compulsory. Where work is structural or otherwise permanent and is essential to the disabled person’s needs, the council must give it as a grant.
There is a carve-out. The duty to give a grant does not cover building an extension to create extra living space, or creating living space in a separate building. Citizens Advice Scotland adds that an extension can still count if it provides standard amenities such as a toilet or bathroom, and that some councils offer discretionary help with other extensions.
How much you get
Citizens Advice Scotland sets out the rates:
- Everyone who qualifies gets at least 80% of the approved cost.
- People getting Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or Universal Credit can get 100%.
- Councils can choose to pay more than 80% to others, under rules in their own Scheme of Assistance statement.
Universal Credit was added to the 100% list by the Welfare Reform (Consequential Amendments) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2013, from 29 April 2013.
The Scottish Government’s 2011 guide for homeowners says there is no upper limit on the grant, but the council will check the costs are reasonable. Councils set their own detailed rules, so ask for your council’s Scheme of Assistance statement before you get quotes.
Who assesses and who applies
Start with your council’s social work service, even if you have not decided to apply for money. The council will not pay for a major adaptation unless its assessment, usually by an OT, finds the work essential. Since health and social care integration, adaptations are planned by each area’s integration authority (the health and social care partnership), so the OT may work for the partnership. Every council publishes a Scheme of Assistance statement setting out its own rules, and these differ. If you disagree with a decision, the council’s complaints process is the first step.
Care and Repair Scotland
Care and Repair services help homeowners, private tenants and crofters who are over 60 or disabled. mygov.scot says they can help decide what work is needed, find tradespeople, sort out funding and oversee the job. Some areas also run small repairs or handyperson services. Services vary by council area.
Council and housing association tenants in Scotland
Tenants of a council or housing association usually ask their landlord, who arranges the adaptation after a social work assessment. The Scottish Government funds housing association adaptations separately; an FOI reply put the 2022-23 budget at £15.6 million. Private tenants have a legal right to ask their landlord’s consent to adapt, which the landlord must not refuse unreasonably. Our guide to stairlifts in rented, council and housing association homes covers the stairlift side of that.
Wales: the DFG and ENABLE
Two routes, one front door
GOV.WALES lists two sources of help: the Disabled Facilities Grant and the ENABLE support for living independently scheme. ENABLE works in three tiers:
| Tier | Examples given by the Welsh Government |
|---|---|
| Small | Grab and stair rails, small ramps, accessible taps, key safes |
| Medium | Walk-in showers, chair lifts, large ramps |
| Large | Extensions, through-floor lifts, moving a bathroom or kitchen |
If you own your home, contact your council, which may send an OT to assess you. If you rent from a private landlord, council or housing association, GOV.WALES says to contact your landlord first.
The means test for small and medium jobs
In March 2021 the Welsh Government announced that, from April 2021, councils could approve small and medium DFGs without a means test. It made this a condition of the ENABLE grant it pays to councils. Large adaptations were left out.
A Welsh Government FOI reply from February 2026 shows how this has worked in practice for 2023-24 and 2024-25. No council means-tested small adaptations. Caerphilly and Newport still means-tested medium ones. Blaenau Gwent and Cardiff had dropped the means test for every DFG, large ones included. The rest tested large adaptations only. Ask your council which applies to you.
Senedd Research adds two points. Small adaptations under £1,000 are usually free and not means-tested for older or disabled people, and no means test applies to an application for a disabled child under 16 or a young person under 19.
The maximum
The Disabled Facilities Grants (Maximum Amounts and Additional Purposes) (Wales) Order 2008 sets the most a council can pay for a mandatory DFG at £36,000. Councils can use their own discretionary grants or loans on top. Cyngor Gwynedd, for example, offers a discretionary loan in exceptional cases.
Care & Repair Cymru
Care & Repair agencies run the Rapid Response Adaptations Programme, which pays for minor work such as handrails so people can get home from hospital. Senedd Research says it is open to owner-occupiers and private tenants. The Welsh Government said in November 2024 that it funds these small adaptations with £3 million of capital grant a year.
Tenants in Wales
Council and housing association tenants should go to their landlord. Housing associations pay for medium and large adaptations through the Physical Adaptations Grant, which they now manage themselves, according to Senedd Research.
Northern Ireland: the DFG through the Housing Executive
Who can apply
Owner-occupiers, landlords and private tenants can apply if a disabled person lives in the home. The route starts with health and social care: contact your local Health and Social Care Trust OT service, or ask your GP or social worker to refer you. The OT assesses you and recommends work to the Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE), which approves and pays the grant. Only work the OT recommends is eligible, and the OT must be satisfied with the finished job before payment.
Do not start work before you have written approval. NIHE says approval sets the grant amount and the completion deadline, and can take up to six months.
The maximum grant: which figure is right?
Official pages disagree, so here is what each says.
| Source | Maximum stated |
|---|---|
| The Grant Limit Order (NI) 2003, as amended from 1 February 2023 | £35,000, with discretion to pay more up to a total of £70,000 for certain purposes |
| nidirect (updated September 2026) | Up to £35,000; in some cases the Housing Executive may raise this to £70,000 |
| NIHE’s Disabled Facilities Grant page | Up to £35,000, rising to £70,000 in some cases |
| GOV.UK DFG guide and GOV.UK Find a Grant | £25,000 |
The law is the authority. The Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Grant Limit) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 raised the limit from £25,000 to £35,000, and the higher ceiling from £50,000 to £70,000, from 1 February 2023. nidirect and NIHE match the law. The GOV.UK figure of £25,000 predates that change.
The means test
NIHE applies a “test of resources” that compares household income, including pensions, some benefits and savings, with an allowance for basic needs. You may have to contribute. There is no means test if the work is for a child in the household who gets Child Benefit.
Housing Executive and housing association tenants
Social tenants do not apply for a DFG. Their landlord carries out the adaptation. nidirect says minor jobs such as rails are available from your social landlord without an OT assessment, while major adaptations need an OT, who sends recommendations to the landlord. Housing Executive tenants can request adaptations through the My Housing Executive portal.
Before you pay for anything yourself
All three nations expect an assessment before money is approved, and Northern Ireland refuses grants for work started early. Get the assessment first, even if you may end up paying. It will tell you what the OT thinks you need, which helps when comparing quotes. For smaller items that councils often lend or fit for free, see what you can get free from your council or the NHS. If you do buy privately, you may not have to pay VAT on qualifying equipment; our guide to VAT relief on mobility equipment explains the rules.
When it comes to choosing an installer, look the company up in our directory of mobility companies and read what other customers say before you sign.
What to do next
- Ask for an assessment: council social work or the health and social care partnership (Scotland), your council (Wales owners), your landlord (Wales tenants) or your Health and Social Care Trust OT service (Northern Ireland).
- Get your council’s Scheme of Assistance statement (Scotland) or adaptations policy (Wales) and check its rules on top-ups and means testing.
- In Northern Ireland, do not start work until NIHE gives written approval.
- If you are over 60 or disabled, contact your local Care and Repair service (Scotland) or Care & Repair agency (Wales) for help with paperwork and builders.
- Keep copies of every assessment, quote and decision letter.
- Use our funding finder to check other help, such as charity grants, for any shortfall.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a Disabled Facilities Grant in Scotland?
No. GOV.UK confirms the DFG is not available in Scotland. The Scottish equivalent is the Scheme of Assistance. Councils must give a grant for essential structural or permanent adaptations, covering at least 80% of the approved cost and 100% for people on certain benefits. Ask your council’s social work service for an assessment, and get a copy of the council’s Scheme of Assistance statement, which explains its local rules.
Does a Scottish adaptations grant cover an extension?
Not usually. The 2008 regulations exclude extensions that create extra living space from the duty to give a grant. Citizens Advice Scotland says an extension can still qualify if it provides standard amenities such as a toilet or bathroom, and some councils offer discretionary help for other extensions. Ask the council what its Scheme of Assistance statement says before you commission plans.
Is the Welsh DFG means-tested?
For small and medium adaptations, generally not. Since April 2021 the Welsh Government has made dropping the means test a condition of its ENABLE grant to councils. Large adaptations are usually still means-tested, though some councils have scrapped the test for every DFG. A February 2026 FOI reply listed Caerphilly and Newport as still testing medium adaptations, so check your own council’s policy.
What is the maximum DFG in Northern Ireland?
£35,000, according to the law in force since 1 February 2023, nidirect and NIHE’s own page. NIHE can pay more for certain purposes, up to £70,000 in total. GOV.UK pages still show £25,000, which was the limit before 2023. If someone quotes the old figure to you, point them to the Grant Limit (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023.
I rent from the Housing Executive. Do I need a grant?
No. Housing Executive and housing association tenants have adaptations carried out by their landlord. Minor jobs such as rails can be requested without an OT assessment; major adaptations need an OT, who makes recommendations to the landlord. Housing Executive tenants can make a request through the My Housing Executive portal or their local district office.
Who pays for a stairlift outside England?
It depends on the nation and your tenure. A stairlift can be funded as a mandatory grant in Scotland if the assessment finds it essential, through a DFG in Wales or Northern Ireland, or directly by a social landlord. Our stairlift grants guide explains the funding routes; any OT assessment comes first.
Sources
- Disabled Facilities Grants: What you’ll get – GOV.UK, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grants – GOV.UK Find a grant, accessed 7 November 2026
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, section 71 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (Scheme of Assistance) Regulations 2008, regulation 3 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 (Scheme of Assistance) Regulations 2008, regulation 4 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Welfare Reform (Consequential Amendments) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 2013 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Housing (Scotland) Act 2006, section 52 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- The scheme of assistance for house repairs and adaptations – Citizens Advice Scotland, accessed 7 November 2026
- Funding Adaptations to the home: A guide for homeowners – Scottish Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adaptations, aids and equipment: advice note, section 6 – Scottish Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Registered Social Landlords (RSL) Disabled Adaptation Funding: FOI release – Scottish Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Home repair help for older or disabled people – mygov.scot, accessed 7 November 2026
- Making changes to a rented home (adaptations) – Citizens Advice Scotland, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adapt your home if you are disabled or an older person – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- ENABLE: support for living independently scheme – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adapt your home if you are disabled or an older person: How to apply – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Written Statement: Removing the means test on small and medium Disabled Facilities Grants – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- FOI response ATISN 26584, 11 February 2026 – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- Home aids and adaptations: a guide for constituents – Senedd Research, accessed 7 November 2026
- Home adaptations supporting safer independent living – Welsh Government, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Disabled Facilities Grants (Maximum Amounts and Additional Purposes) (Wales) Order 2008, article 2 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grant – Cyngor Gwynedd, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled Facilities Grants – nidirect, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adapting your home – nidirect, accessed 7 November 2026
- Disabled facilities grant – Northern Ireland Housing Executive, accessed 7 November 2026
- Adaptations for Housing Executive tenants – Northern Ireland Housing Executive, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Grant Limit) Order (Northern Ireland) 2003, article 2 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
- The Housing Renovation etc. Grants (Grant Limit) (Amendment) Order (Northern Ireland) 2023 – legislation.gov.uk, accessed 7 November 2026
Published 7 November 2026