Harrogate Borough Council
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Adaptations for the Disabled
An adaptation is an alteration designed to help you or a member of your household live as independently as possible in your own home. It can also be to help your carer to look after you. This could be minor work like a grab rail or major work such as a walk in shower.
Who is eligible for adaptations to their property?
Anyone can apply if you, or a member of your household has a recognised disability.
You do not need to be the tenant of the property to qualify but you must permanently live at the property.
How do I apply for an adaptation?
Fill in the application form below and return it to your local Housing Office. If you need help with the form, staff at your Housing Office will be happy to help.
We ask for information about your medical condition that is affecting the way you live. This information is important. It helps prioritise your application and allows the Council to start assessing your needs.
We also ask if you would be willing to transfer to a property more suitable for your needs. You will be asked to consider this carefully if your property cannot be adapted.
All of your answers are treated in the strictest confidence.
What happens next?
We will acknowledge receipt of your form in writing within 10 days. The letter will include contact numbers for both the Council and North Yorkshire County Council's Social Services Customer Services Department who work in partnership with the Council. Staff from Social Services, who are professionally trained, will contact you to agree a time to visit to assess your needs. They will report back to the Council. If a visit is not possible straight away they will contact you to explain the delay. Social Services must carry out an assessment and support your request before any major adaptation work is carried out.
If your request is for a change of heating, an additional "Heating Information Pack" will be sent to you. This must be completed and returned before any assessment will be made. Your Doctor or Consultant may be contacted to confirm your medical condition and needs.
Social Services will write to the Council with their recommendations. You will receive a copy of this letter.
In some cases, equipment will be supplied directly by Social Services, e.g. shower or bath seats. This equipment remains the property of Social Services and when it is no longer needed the equipment must be returned.
Where substantial work is recommended it may be necessary for the Council to involve Planning or Building consultants in the design and completion of the work. This can delay work considerably but we will keep you advised of progress.
Will the Council always undertake adaptations?
No not always. If Social Services do not support your request on medical or functional grounds, no work will be carried out. Also the Council has to look at all options. Sometimes the design or type of property makes it impossible to adapt. In these cases we will talk to you about moving to a more suitable home.
Having the work done
When the Council receives the recommendations from Social Services, the Clerk of Works/Maintenance Surveyor may need to visit you before ordering the work. Small items may be arranged with a contractor without visiting you.
When the work is ordered, you will receive a Tenant's Receipt as confirmation. This will also confirm approximately how long it will take.
Sometimes it is necessary to get quotations for the work or to consider alternative options. If there are any delays anticipated this will be explained by the Clerk of Works/Maintenance Surveyor.
Because of the high demand for housing in the Harrogate District, the Council is unable to provide temporary accommodation where adaptations are being carried out for people with disabilities.
Will the work cost me anything?
The Council will pay for work carried out by its contractors. This will not normally include re-decoration or alteration to your carpets. Rent can increase if an additional room has been constructed.
When the work is complete
When the work is complete, you must tell Social Services; they will then check that the work meets your needs. If your needs change over time you may need to contact us again to arrange further assessment.
Should your circumstances change and you no longer need equipment which has been installed by the Council, please tell us and if possible, we will remove the equipment and re-use it.
Some things we will not consider
We will not normally carry out adaptations if you have applied to buy your home.
We will not usually fit showers to individual flats in sheltered schemes that are available communally.
We will not normally provide storage, or an electric supply for privately purchased wheelchairs or scooters.
We will not fit easily removable or portable equipment which is not considered a permanent fixture i.e. wall mounted tin openers, (this does not include shower seats or drop down rails), although such items may be available via Social Services.
We will not normally provide car-parking bays.
Minor works
If your request is for minor items only, these can often be supplied without the need for an assessment. Please complete section one, two and four on the application form for any of the following.
- Grab rail alongside the outside door
- Handrail to external steps
- A second internal staircase rail
- Lever taps to sink, washbasin or bath
Can I pay privately to have work done?
Yes, but you need to write to the Council to request permission before starting any work.