Calls to streamline disabled facilities grant access for landlords

Disabled facilities grants (DFG) should be streamlined for private landlords and the government should raise more awareness of the support available, claims Propertymark.

The Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) provides funding to councils to pay for home adaptations that enable disabled people to live independently.

A government consultation on the DFG has revealed plans for a new allocation formula that will reflect local levels of disability and health need.

Funding levels strong

Currently, households in England can receive up to £30,000 through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), compared with £36,000 in Wales.

Propertymark is calling on the government to bring English funding levels in line with those available in Wales.

The organisation welcomed the decision to maintain local authorities’ funding at 100 per cent of last year’s allocation, totalling £723 million.

However, the guaranteed minimum level of financial support will fall from 97.5% in 2027/28 to 95% in 2028/29, prompting calls for ministers to keep funding levels strong, particularly for the private rented sector.

In the private rented sector, landlords are only eligible for DFG funding if they have a tenant with a disability living in the property.

Propertymark argues that, given the mismatch between social housing supply and demand and the low take-up of DFG funding in the PRS, eligibility for private landlords should be streamlined, alongside raising awareness of the opportunities to access funding.

Grant funding must support landlords

Tim Thomas, policy and campaigns officer at Propertymark, said: “The announcement that the UK government will implement a new Disabled Facilities Grant formula is an important one, and we encourage ministers to maintain strong funding levels as population needs continue to evolve.

“Given the changing demographics, with more persons with a disability and older people accessing the PRS, grant funding must support more landlords to improve accessibility.

“Fundamental to this will be greater collaboration between local authorities and private landlords through an accessible housing database, widened access to grant funding and improved awareness of existing grant funding opportunities.”

The government has confirmed that there will be no dedicated private rented sector fund within the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) and adds that the Renters’ Rights Act will give tenants greater confidence to request adaptations without fear of eviction.