Adaptation Grants for Privately Owned Homes

The Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability are available to help older people and people with a disability living in a privately-owned home. These grants are used to carry out works to make the property more suitable for the person with a disability who is a member of the household.

All applications for grant aid under the Housing Adaptation Grants Scheme are assessed based on household means. To be considered eligible for a grant, you must:

• have the grant application approved before the work starts on the home,
• live in the home when the work is completed,
• have your tax affairs in order,
• show that the Local Property Tax for the home is in order.

We recommend that you have a clear service charges account when applying for a Housing Adaptation Grant to ensure the payment of any grant is not affected.

Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability

This grant is for people with a physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual disability. It can be used for works such as:

• level access showers,
• accessible bathrooms,
• access ramps,
• stair lifts,
• extensions.

Your home can qualify for this grant if it is one of the following:

• privately owned (by you or your family),
• rented from a landlord with a current tenancy agreement registered with the Residential Tenancies Board (RTB) and which is dated and signed by the landlord. You must submit written approval of the landlord to make the changes,
• provided by an Approved Housing Body with their agreement,
• a communal residence with written approval of the owner.

Mobility Aids Grant

This grant is for older people and/or people with a disability who find it hard to move around their home. It aims to fast track grant aid to cover a variety of works to address mobility issues such as:

• grab rails
• stair lifts,
• access ramps,
• level access showers,
• other minor works which are required to facilitate the mobility needs of the applicant

Your home can qualify for this grant if it is one of the following:

Housing Aid for Older People Grant

This grant is available to assist people aged 66 years or older who are living in poor housing conditions to carry out essential repairs or improvements so that they can continue to live in their own home such as:

• roof repairs,
• electrical re-wiring,
• provision of central heating where none exists or it is damaged beyond economic repair.

Your home can qualify for this grant if it is one of the following:

• privately owned by you,
• you have a right of residence in the house where the work will be done

FAQS

How much is the grant for?

The grant covers some of the cost of the work required, however, the amount of the grant depends on your household income for the previous year. The maximum grants available are as follows:

Grant Type	Maximum Grant Available	Minimum Grant Available
Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability	€30,000 or 95% of the total approved cost of the work	€9,000 or 30% of the total approved cost of the work
Mobility Aids Grant	€6,000 or the total approved cost of the work (whichever is less)	N/A
Housing Aid for Older People Grant	€8,000 or 95% of the total approved cost of the work	€2,400 or 30% of the total approved cost of the work

What are the income limits?

The income limits differ depending on which grant you are applying for. If your household income from the previous tax year exceeds the below amounts after the applicable disregards and deductions are applied, you will not be considered eligible to receive a grant:

Grant Type	Household Income Limit
Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability	€60,000
Mobility Aids Grant	€30,000
Housing Aid for Older People Grant	€60,000

How is income assessed?

Annual gross income from the previous tax year is used in assessing the household income in an application. This includes the following:

All the people living in the home aged 18 years or over (except for those in full-time education or engaged in a SOLAS apprenticeship that are under23 years of age)
The registered property owner (and their spouse if applicable) except if your home is one of the following:
- Rented from a landlord with a current tenancy agreement registered with the Residential Tenancies Board in place
- Provided by an Approved Housing Body
- A communal residence

Some payments from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection are not considered when working out your household income (see below for further details).

What deductions and disregards can apply?

The following payments from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection are not considered in assessing your household income:

Carer’s Allowance/Benefit
Carer’s Support Grant
Child Benefit
Domiciliary Care Allowance
Foster Care Grant
Fuel Allowance
Household Benefits Package
Living Alone Allowance
Working Family Payment

There are also two types of deductions that reduce the amount of household income considered:

A deduction of €5,000 applies for each member of the household who is under 18 years of age or under 23 years of age and in full time education or engaged in a SOLAS apprenticeship;
A deduction of €5,000 applies where the person for whom the grant aid is sought is being cared for by a relative on a full-time basis if a relative is caring full-time for the person who the grant is for.

What documents will be required as part of my application?

A checklist for the documents to be sent in with your application is available on Page 20 of the Application Form.

Note: Your application will be delayed if the Application Form is not fully completed or documents are missing.

What sort of works are covered by these grants?

See below for an example of the works covered by each of the grants:

Grant Type	Examples of Works Covered
Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability	A ramp or other ways to access your home Grab rails Bathroom facilities like an accessible shower or downstairs toilet Stairlifts Space for wheelchair access An extension (typically for a bedroom and/or bathroom)
Mobility Aids Grant	Grab rails Ramps Accessible Showers Stairlifts
Housing Aid for Older People Grant	Essential repairs or refurbishment, including the following: Repair or replacement of roof Upgrading of electrical wiring Repair or replacement of windows or doors Provision of central heating where there is no central heating or it is broken beyond economic repair

How long will it take for my grant to be approved?

The Council will endeavour to decide on each application as soon as possible and will make every effort to issue a provisional approval of a grant within six weeks following receipt of a fully completed and valid application.

Delays in issuing provisional approval can occur due to incomplete applications, incorrect or insufficient documentation being submitted or if major works are being carried out which require evidence of planning permission or a certificate of exemption under the Planning Acts.

Please note that applications which are missing key information will be returned.

Does the grant cover the VAT cost of the work?

The grant does not cover the VAT cost of the work, in the case of the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability and the Mobility Aids Grant. VAT can be reclaimed from Revenue after the work has been paid for. Please see https://www.revenue.ie/en/vat/accounting-for-vat/how-to-account-for-value-added-tax/how-do-you-complete-a-vat3-return.aspx for more information.

However, the VAT cost of the work is covered under the Housing Aid for Older People Grant.

How do I get Tax Clearance from Revenue?

If the grant application is for the sum of €10,000 or over, you will be required to provide evidence of tax clearance from Revenue. Information on how to apply for tax clearance can be found at https://www.revenue.ie/en/starting-a-business/tax-clearance/index.aspx.

Can I appeal the decision of the Local Authority?

If you are unhappy with the decision of the Council, you can appeal the decision in writing within three weeks of the date of the original decision, clearly outlining the reasons and grounds for appeal. Appeals should be sent to the following address and will be assessed by an official who was not involved with the original assessment:

Private Grants Section - Housing Department

Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council

County Hall

Marine Road

Dún Laoghaire

Co. Dublin

Every effort will be made to notify you of the decision on your appeal within six weeks of receipt of the appeal.