Learning Disability Today
Blue Sky Offices Shoreham
25 Cecil Pashley Way
Shoreham-by-Sea
West Sussex
BN43 5FF
United Kingdom
T: 01273 434943
Contacts
Alison Bloomer
Managing Editor
[email protected]
[email protected]
People with learning disabilities are amongst those who could benefit from a £50 million funding boost to the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), allowing them to live independently at home.
Disabled Facilities Grants are on average £10,000 per person, so this means that around 5,000 more people will have access to home adaptations such as stairlifts, ramps, accessible bathrooms and assistive technologies. These assistive technologies include automatic door openers, lifts, height-adjustable surfaces, ceiling track hoists, and smart lighting and heating systems.
This extra investment will be allocated to local authorities in February 2026 and brings total DFG funding for 2025-26 to £761 million.
Grant helps people with learning disabilities live independently
The Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) welcomed the additional investment in the fund, which will help provide much-needed support to more people accessing it.
Chief Executive Dr Rhidian Hughes said: “Housing that is safe, accessible and adapted to meet people’s needs is essential for disabled people, carers and families to live the lives they choose.”
Related Posts
The Disabled Facilities Grant is the main source of government funding for home adaptations in England. It is a statutory, means-tested grant. The current statutory upper limit for the grant is £30,000, even though the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee last year called for it to be reviewed to account for inflation and construction costs.
Minister for Social Security and Disability Sir Stephen Timms added: “Thousands of disabled people will have their lives transformed thanks to the changes they’ll be able to make to their homes.
“This additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant is part of our commitment to break down barriers at home, at work, and across our public services for disabled people.
“From ministerial leads for disability in every department to investing £1bn a year in employment support by the end of the decade, disabled people are being given opportunities they have too often missed out on in the past.”
