Your feedback helps us to improve our website.

Translate

Housing renewal assistance policy 2026 - 2030: 1. Introduction 10.8 Streamlining of the DFG process

Government best practice guidance recommends that councils deliver adaptations (commonly referred to as Disabled Facility Grants) as promptly as possible and with

the least bureaucracy. Major streamlining of the processes for delivering DFGs in Walsall has been in place for over 10 years and this continues to provide significant benefits for residents.

Streamlining – early prevention works

These works will be limited to a maximum cost of £300 labour and materials, and will focus on small adaptations to prevent slips, trips and falls, and assist with hospital discharges. Only owner occupiers and private rented tenants will usually be eligible. There is no age limit. Housing Association tenants should contact their landlord who will usually complete these types of works for them. The exception is keysafes, which the Council will provide for any tenure of applicant if linked to hospital discharge. These works can be agreed directly by the Council’s Trusted Assessors or other relevant officer, or Occupational Therapy service. Eligible works will be:

  • Grab rails
  • Keysafes
  • Half steps
  • Lever taps
  • Any other small works at the discretion of the Council

Streamlining - minor works - adaptations up to £4,000 schemes

In addition to the above Walsall Council has adopted this best practice advice for many years by developing a ‘minor works’ scheme for adaptations currently costing less than £4,000. As a result we are able to offer a streamlined approach to a higher number of households meaning they are able to progress more quickly through the DFG process.

There may be cases where both a minor works grant and request for Early Prevention or Handyperson help are both considered appropriate. This decision will rest with the Housing Improvement Team.

Multiple applications for minor works assistance will be possible provided the £4,000 ceiling is not exceeded. For example in year 1 a request for help costing £2,000 and in year 2 a request for works costing £1,500.

Streamlining - palliative cases, those covered by the Walsall Armed Forces Covenant, applications received via Walsall Society for the Blind or those where a diagnosis of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has been given

The council will use its discretion, whilst resources permit, to waive the Test of Resources (Means Test) for adaptation applications for the above categories where the proposed adaptation works will not exceed £9,000. All other DFG provisions remain in place.

With MND cases wherever possible and within the limit of £9,000 as much ‘future-proofing’ will be provided / considered as possible during the adaptation designs. This will be in discussion with the applicant and consultation with the Occupational Therapists.

Applications for both Minor Works assistance and a scheme under this specific process will not be permitted. Therefore, an applicant will not be able to secure £4,000 of minor works assistance without a means test and a further £9,000 without a means test. The maximum permitted will always only be £9,000. Any proposals expected to cost in excess of £9,000 will follow the full DFG application process including Test of Resources.

Streamlining - scheme costing more than £4,000

There are a range of schemes which cost more than £4,000 that require technical input by the Housing Improvement Service that benefit from delivery through a ‘streamlined’ grant approach. This includes for example:

  • curved stairlifts
  • step lifts
  • vertical (through floor) lifts
  • bathroom adaptations where an existing bath is removed and a level access shower installed (often referred to as BOSI’s).

These works do not require planning permission and can normally be programmed to be installed relatively quickly.

Streamlining - handyperson service

The Housing Improvement Section also provides whilst resources permit a discretionary Handyperson service. This is available to provide assistance to prevent slips, trips and falls and is allocated on a maximum of 2-hour slots per household, with all materials being provided by the applicant. The assistance is for those households where they are prone to serious injury from slips, trips and falls and is for the disabled and or those aged 65 years of age and older. The type of works may include, but are not limited to:

  • fitting doorbells, including video doorbells
  • fitting door chains/spy holes, new or replacement locks
  • minor bathroom works to prevent slips and falls
  • renewing bath sealants
  • unblocking wash basins
  • replacing broken toilet seats
  • fitting letter baskets
  • replacing light bulbs and batteries in smoke detectors
  • putting up shelves
  • taking down/putting up curtains and curtain rails
  • unblocking sinks
  • moving small pieces of furniture

The works will not include:

  • decorating
  • gardening
  • any kind of gas work
  • electrical wiring
  • general domestic tasks such as moving large amounts of furniture, disposing of rubbish or bulky waste