New Disabled Facilities Grant guidance

The government has produced new guidance on the delivery of the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which brings together existing policy frameworks, legislative duties and powers, and recommended practice, in one place. This guidance is for local authorities in England on how to deliver DFG-funded adaptations to serve the needs of older and disabled people. The NHF helped feed into the drafting of this guidance.

The DFG funds adaptations for people’s homes to make them accessible. It is available to housing association tenants, who now account for 22% of all grants approved. The guidance says that partnership working between local authorities and housing associations is essential to making the adaptation process run smoothly. It recommends local authorities meet housing associations regularly so there is an effective communication pathway.

Chapter 2 of the guidance advises councils on working well with housing associations. It sets out the strategic context of the DFG, including the funding landscape. It also outlines what good local strategic and operational collaboration looks like, and how local health, social care and housing authorities can work well together with housing associations.