- Introduction
- Step 1 - getting an OT assessment
- Step 2 - family consent for major home adaptations
- Step 3 - funding
- Step 4 - planning and quotes
- Step 5 - building work starts
- Step 6 - building work completed
Drawing and agreeing plans happens before the Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG) final approval. You may sign a contract with a project manager/ surveyor/ architect/ home improvement agency before the final approval. Please be aware, you are liable to incur fees if the work does not progress to the DFG approval stage. DFG will fund the fees past the DFG approval stage.
Following the Occupational Therapist (OT) recommendations, the next steps are below. It is important to ensure the plans are correct, as this will save time and money.
Drawing up the plans
Drawing plans, then reaching an agreement between all parties involved can take time. The initial plans will be on paper. This allows for adjustments until all parties are in agreement with them.
The project manager/surveyor/architect will draw the plans. They will then send them to:
- you
- your child/young person's OT
- and the other relative parties for review.
Agreeing the initial plans
Adjustments to the initial plans occur. They will change until they meet your child/young person's need. This can take several attempts and months. Agreement of the plan will be between the following parties:
- child/young person
- parent/carer/family
- child/young person's OT
- District/Borough (D/B) Council grants team
- project manager/surveyor/architect
Please be aware: Changing plans later can be costly and delay the process.
Reviewing and finalising plans
The plans must meet your child/young person's assessed needs. The OT will confirm this. Your OT will also confirm if the plans meet the . You will also need to confirm your agreement of the plans. If you disagree with them please consult the OT.
The OT will get your agreement of the finalised plans. Agreeing the plans together helps avoid future delays. Your D/B Council grant officer will check that the plans meet DFG funding criteria. If assessed needs do not meet DFG criteria, then the OT will seek alternative funding options.
The DFG pays for finishings that meet your child/young person's identified needs. You might prefer upgrades or additional features. For example, alternative bathroom tiles. You'll need to fund the difference in cost of these compared to the standard DFG option yourself. This will need agreement from the OT and D/B Council grants team before installation.
Family preferred schemes
Please see Step 3 - Funding for family preferred scheme funding considerations. You may wish to complete your own home adaptations. These may not be specific to your child/young person's needs identified by the OT. You can complete these at the same time as the OT recommended major home adaptations. The OT must approve your planned scheme meets your child/young person's needs. The OT will then request the D/B Council approval.
Plans are finalised, what happens next?
The project manager will compile a Schedule Of Works (SOW). A SOW provides a detailed breakdown of each section of the building work. The project manager compiles a SOW and sends it with the finalised plans to the OT and D/B Council. The OT approves both documents and sends them to the project manager.
Is temporary rehousing/respite care needed to enable the building work to happen?
Some building work renders properties uninhabitable. During these periods, temporary rehousing or respite care may need further consideration. This is also known as decant housing. ßÙßÇÂþ» can provide decant funding during these periods. All the following points must happen first:
1. You confirmed to the CwD OT that your child cannot stay in the property during building work due to health risks.
Your child/young person's GP, consultant, paediatrician, or psychiatrist must confirm this.
2. The surveyor/architect/project manager must confirm:
- the duration of works,
- any loss of essential services,
- disruption level,
- health and safety risks,
- and impact on your child/young person’s wellbeing.
3. Your child/young person's social worker (if known) must confirm that respite care is not:
- possible
- available
- appropriate.
4. The CwD OT will refer for Family Group Conference (FGC) input, subject to family consent to use this service.
The FGC meeting confirms what decant plan you can arrange and manage yourselves. The plan can/will include, but isn't limited to:
- you,
- your wider family members,
- friends,
- neighbours,
- close contacts,
- any other relevant people/supports,
- going on holiday,
- staying with family/friends/close contacts,
- renting alternative accommodation.
5. In exceptional circumstances, the outcome of the FGC may find no solution. Only then can SCC consider funding decanting.
Decant funding options, will include considering:
- Weighting of the contractor time to be during term time when your child/young person is school aged.
- Paying for short-term respite for your child/young person in a respite home.
- Your child/young person attending daytime clubs/activities during the week. This enables building work to happen in your child/young person's absence.
- Hotel accommodation and/or bed and breakfast type accommodation
ßÙßÇÂþ» (SCC) DOES NOT provide Air BnB or specialist short-term rental accommodation. SCC has no ability to manage the risks associated with these properties.
You may wish to proceed with these types of accommodation. If so, then you will be responsible for:
- sourcing and commissioning this property.
- funding any accidental damage to the short-term rental property,
- all booking costs,
- any unforeseen costs these types of properties encounter during your stay within them.
SCC can contribute up to the full cost of the CwD OT recommended option. If your preferred decant option costs more, then you would fund the difference in costs.
Planning permission
Some, but not all, major home adaptations need planning permission. The project manager applies for the planning permission. Please see the contact page for the online planning portal for each D/B Council. The portals provide updates planning permission applications. Average waiting times for planning permission approvals is 8 to 16 weeks.
Quotes
Builders will receive the SOW from the project manager. They may then need to visit your home to quote for the work. The builder will then send the tendered quote to your project manager. The D/B Council expects up to three tendered quotes for the proposed building work. This provides an accurate market rate for the building work.
Detailed information on planning, quotes and building work is available from your project manager and your D/B Council.
Further information on the can be found on GOV.UK.