Aids and adaptions policy
We recognise that sometimes disabilities or health conditions that restrict mobility can mean that you need some aids fitting or adaptions making to your home to help you to continue to live independently. This policy outlines how we can support you to get the aids and adaptions you need.
Our commitment to you
We will work with you and your local authority to ensure you, or anyone living with you, gets the aids and adaptions you need for your home. These can range from access ramps and grab rails to level access showers, stair-lifts or through-floor lifts.
Minor aids and adaptions (under £1,700) will be funded and carried out by CKH, as long as the yearly budget has not been exceeded.
More extensive aids and adaptions will be funded by the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) from your local authority.
Once installed, we will service and maintain your aids and adaptations as required.
We aim to:
- Provide an aids and adaptations service which is easily accessible and based on an assessed need (usually through Occupational Therapy).
- Work with local authorities to ensure that funding is maximised.
- Work with local authorities to ensure that, where possible, adapted homes are let to households who can fully benefit from the adaptations.
- Provide an annual budget for minor aids and adaptations.
- Install minor aids and adaptations within 28 days.
- Consider requests for aids and adaptations (including DFGs) in a fair and consistent way, taking into account individual requirements and the wider needs for social housing, making the most effective use of our stock.
- Consider residents’ needs for aids and adaptations in advance of planned internal works.
- Develop 10% life-times homes where possible and grant funding is provided.
The process
To request an aid or adaption to your home please speak to us as soon as you can. You can call 01733 385000, complete a form on the website or speak to us during a visit or at CKH Customer Central. Please explain the aid or adaption you need and who it is for. We will then be able to let you know if it is something we can do ourselves (minor aid or adaption) or if it is something we need to work with your local authority to complete (major aid or adaption).
If we are unsure of the correct aid to support you, we may ask for an occupational therapy assessment even for minor aids or adaptations.
Referral to an Occupational Therapist (OT)
Before any major aids and adaptations are planned, we will ask you to contact your local authority to discuss your needs with the OT team so that an assessment can be carried out. You can do this before speaking to us if you want and send us the report at the same time of the request.
Following an assessment or review the OT will determine which (if any) aids and adaptations are recommended, either through the DFG or through the CKH minor aids and adaptations service.
As part of an assessment process the OT will discuss a range of options with you which may include registering for a move to more appropriate accommodation.
If the OT assesses that a DFG is appropriate, they will complete the forms or make a referral to us.
Major adaptations funded by the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG)
In line with current legislation, your local authority is responsible for deciding if DFG works are approved. They will also complete the work. This ensures adaptations are reasonable, practical, necessary and appropriate. Their decisions must be clearly supported by the legislation and suitable alternative accommodation should be made available by the local authority if the grant is not approved. The application and approval will also consider if your income will meet the new rent if additional bedrooms are added through the work and may be refused if there is no evidence to support the payment of the revised rent.
Once we receive the DGF report we will refer to our Lettings policy and review how your tenancy has been conducted before allowing the work. Adaptations will not be approved in cases of under-occupation or where there is a clear breach of tenancy. We also reserve the right to refuse permission for work funded by the DFG where the investment is not appropriate for the longer-term use of the property.
We will always discuss the outcome with you and facilitate a move to more suitable accommodation.
The local authority will notify us when any DFG works are completed and provide appropriate certification/guarantees.
New build homes
If new build homes are pre-allocated before the design stage and adaptations are required by the new resident these will be designed and installed in advance where possible. In this context:
- Allocations will need to meet the requirements of any agreed local lettings plans which are in place to create sustainable communities.
- Any adaptations made at the development stage must be covered by the overall scheme costs.
- Any major adaptations made at the development stage must be of benefit to households with disabilities in general terms for example, level access shower in place of a bath, rather than suit the specific needs of one individual and therefore make the property unsuitable for other residents in the future. Minor aids and adaptations to suit individual needs, for example grab rails, can be considered and installed prior to handover.
- Applicants who are pre-allocated properties will be required to take up the tenancies. If, following handover of the scheme, properties are refused by the incoming resident CKH will reserve the right to refuse any future pre-allocation of properties. This is to protect against the potential loss of rental income.
Any “off-the-shelf” developments will be excluded from this process, as CKH is not involved in the design and build stage.
Planned improvement works
If your home is due any planned works for example a new kitchen, bathroom or heating we will discuss this with you. Before the work takes place our contractor will carry out a pre-works survey and as part of this process, we will identify whether anyone in the household has a disability, permanent mobility problem or is waiting for an Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment. If any adaptations are requested which may impact on the work being carried out (for example bathroom being refurbished and you cannot manage to use the bath), the contractor will notify us. We will review the requirements for the adaptation against the needs of the household in line with our Lettings Policy and Procedure and in discussion with our Neighbourhood Management team.
If the need for adaptations is agreed, we will arrange an OT assessment. We will consider amending the specification of works according to the recommendations of the OT assessment. We will keep you informed throughout this process.
When homes with adaptations become vacant
We will ensure local authorities are aware of any aids and adaptations fitted to a home when they advertise it for let. The local authority will ensure this information is included in the advert and considered during the allocation process. We will work with local authorities to try to find residents who would benefit from existing aids and adaptions. Their need will be based on an OT assessment.
The local authority will ensure shortlisted residents are made aware of the ability for an OT to attend the property viewing with them to ensure the property is suitable for their needs/can be adapted to meet their needs. This cannot delay the viewing or the lettings process. If you want this, you will need to arrange for the OT to attend the viewing.
Defects, maintenance, servicing and future use
Where adaptations are installed by local authorities through the DFG process, they will provide the appropriate certification/guarantees and defect period. This will vary from 6 months – three years depending on the actual work. If any hoists are installed the local authority remain responsible for insuring and maintaining these.
We will provide a service contract for servicing stair-lifts and through-floor lifts at least annually and maintain them where the guarantee has expired or until they have become beyond economic repair. Before a stair-lift is replaced OT services will re-visit you to check that the stair-lift is still required and appropriate for your needs.
Where a major adaptation including stair-lifts cannot be repaired and was originally funded through a DFG, an OT will need to assess if it is still required and appropriate for your needs. They will also assess if a further DFG is needed to fund the work.
All other repairs and maintenance will be carried out by our responsive repairs service.
Any aids and adaptations funded by a DFG will generally remain in the property should the resident move out. Where possible the vacant home will be allocated to someone who can benefit from the adaptation. Level access showers will not be removed where installed in family-size accommodation.
Further information:
Who is responsible for managing aids and adaptions?
The Assistant Director, Assets and Estates and Director of Asset, Housing Needs and Estate Management are responsible for aids and adaptions.
Legislation and regulation
This policy is written in accordance with the following regulatory and legislative requirements:
- Decent Homes Standard
- Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and 2005
- Equality Act 2010
- European Commission Human Rights Act 1998
- Fire Safety Act 2021
- Building Safety Act 2022
Information sharing
Cross Keys Homes has an information sharing agreement with key agencies and contractors to share information in relation to the delivery of our services. Information shared must be relevant and the Data Protection Procedure adhered to when handling data. You can find more information about how we manage your data in our Transparency and Privacy Policy.
Monitoring and review
The Aids and Adaptions Policy was written and approved in April 2025 and will be reviewed every three years – next review March 2028.