We have several schemes to help you stay in your home if you need to make adaptations. You must receive a confirmation letter from the Private Sector Housing team of any grants before you start work. We cannot pay for work that has already been started or finished.
Disabled Facilities Grant for private homes
Disabled Facilities Grants are available to help you pay for work to make changes in your home, so you can carry on living independently for as long as possible.
The first step is for the needs of you or your child to be assessed by an Occupational Therapist. To get an assessment from an Occupational Therapist, you will need to fill in our online referral form. After filling in the first page, select ‘Moving around my/their home’. You can also contact our Access Team on 020 8379 1001.
After an Occupational Therapist has assessed your needs, our Private Sector Housing team will get in touch and arrange to carry out a property survey. If the work to your home qualifies for a grant, our Grant Officer or Surveyor will help you fill in a grant application form.
We will write and tell you within 6 months of your application if you have been awarded a grant. You are eligible if you are:
- a private tenant or the owner of a home which is not owned by us
- a landlord applying on behalf of a disabled tenant
- the parent or guardian of a disabled child under the age of 19
If you have been given a grant you will need to stay in your home for at least five years after it has been adapted.
How much you can get
You can get up to the maximum of £30,000. We will pay you according to your income and assets and the cost of the work we suggest could be done. You may need to pay part of the costs of adapting your home, and if this is the case we will tell you how much you need to pay.
We will also assess the income and savings of you and your spouse or partner. This will include all income from earnings, savings, pensions, benefits, stocks, shares and any other property owned. If you are applying for a disabled child under the age of 19, your income and assets will not be tested.
What kind of changes you can have
The types of work that can be paid for with a Disabled Facilities Grant include:
- widening doors and installing ramps
- giving easier entrance to rooms and facilities (such as putting in a stair lift or a level access shower)
- changing heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use
- making the building safe
- putting in an adapted bathroom or kitchen
- making it easier to get into your garden if you have one
Decent Homes Grants for private property
Where funding is available.
This grant is means tested and all of your income (including salary, pension, benefits, shares and savings) will be considered. You must provide evidence that you have been refused a high street loan.
We provide a Decent Homes Grants to carry out substantial repair to your property. Your property would need to fail the Housing Act Housing Health and Safety Rating System or the Decent Homes Standard. It should be:
- excessively cold
- in a bad state of repair
- lacking basic amenities such as a bathroom, toilet facilities or kitchen
- showing evidence of extensive dampness
You can apply for a Decent Homes Grant if you are:
- under 60
- not disabled
- unable to obtain a high street loan
The grant is repayable on the sale or transfer of the property and no interest is currently charged. You will have 12 months from the time this grant has been approved to complete the work.
Small Works Assistance
Where funding is available.
This grant is means tested and all of your income (including salary, pension, benefits, shares and savings) will be considered. We will also assess the income and savings of your spouse or partner. You must provide evidence that you have been refused a high street loan.
We use this grant to help fund minor repairs which may affect the health and welfare of occupants. The maximum amount available is £3,000 and is repayable on sale of the property. You must also be the owner or occupier of the property for at least 3 years and on a low income to apply.
You can apply for a Small Works Assistance Grant if you are:
- over 60
- have children under 16 living at home
- have a long term illness or disability
To apply you will need to include:
- a certificate of Understanding and Agreement
- a letter of refusal for a high street loan (Decent Homes Grant)
- proof of income
- 2 estimates
Contact us on 020 8379 1000 for an application form. Send your completed application to:
Private Sector Housing
Enfield Council
Civic Centre
Silver Street
Enfield
EN1 3XA
We will visit your home to carry out a survey within 6 weeks of receiving your application and let you know the outcome within 3 months. When you receive your approval letter, it will give details of the chosen builder contractor from the 2 estimates you provided, and the amount of grant agreed. You can then arrange a start date with the contractor.
You will have 6 months from the time a Small Works Assistance Grant has been approved to complete work.
For more information, view our guide to Small Works Assistance (PDF, 150.41 KB).
Enfield Care and Repair
Enfield Care and Repair Agency is a not-for-profit service for low income and vulnerable homeowners, and private rented tenants who are older, or have occupants with disabilities. We aim to help qualifying households live independently in their homes for as long as possible and improve their quality of life.
We will help you organise adaptations and repairs to your home, and supervise building work until it is complete. We can help you if you are:
- a household with members who have disabilities
- a vulnerable homeowner and older private rented tenant
- on a low income
We will:
- help you apply for any financial assistance you are eligible for
- help you get quotations from reliable contractors, and liaise with your Occupational Therapist when designing adaptations
- prepare plans and specifications of work and repairs you require
- supervise the work until it is completed to your satisfaction
Our first visit to assess your needs is free, but we will charge for any work we organise or supervise at your home. Our fee is currently 10% of the total cost of the works to be carried out. If the work is paid for by a council grant the fees will be paid by the grant too.
Contact our Care and Repair team on 020 8379 1000, Monday to Friday from 8:30am to 5pm.