Last Updated: May 1, 2026
The Government has announced a £50 million boost to the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) to help thousands of older and disabled people live independently. The Department for Health announced that this funding boost will be distributed to local authorities next month.
The Government has said that this financial boost to DFG funding for 2025-26 will raise the fund to £761 million. The DFG supports roughly 60,000 older people and individuals with disabilities across the UK each year. On average, each council is distributed roughly £10,000.
It is expected that this boost will help around 5,000 more older people and people with disabilities to be able to adapt their homes by installing vital home adaptations such as stair lifts, ramps, accessible bathrooms and assistive technologies such as door openers, lifts and smart technologies to name a few. These adaptations can help enable people to live safely and independently at home where they are comfortable in their familiar surroundings.
These adaptations can be life changing as they allow individuals to access the entirety of their home freely, and wash and dress themselves independently. It can also enable them to stay connected to family, friends and their local community. The funding helps remove critical barriers that can stop people living fulfilling lives.
Home adaptations play a key role in supporting the NHS as well as the people who use them, as they can help prevent falls and other accidents in the home. This can help speed up discharges and reduce hospital admissions which can ease the strain on the NHS by shifting the care away from hospital and into the community.
Stephen Kinnock, Minister of State for Care, said, ‘Everyone deserves to feel safe and independent in their own home. A stairlift or an accessible bathroom might seem like a small change, but for thousands of older and disabled people these adaptations can be life changing. They help people move around freely, stay close to family and friends, and live with dignity.
‘This £50 million boost could support around 5,000 more people to make these vital changes to their homes so they can remain independent and comfortable rather than face a hospital stay or a move into residential care.
‘Home adaptations also play a crucial role in easing pressure on our NHS – preventing falls, speeding up hospital discharges and reducing admissions. This investment is part of our commitment to shift more care out of hospital and into the community, where people want to be.’
Sir Stephen Timms, Minister for Social Security and Disability, said, ‘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.’
Paul Smith, Managing Director of Foundations, the National Body for the Disabled Facilities Grant, said, ‘Every year we see how the right home adaptation can change someone’s life. This extra funding will mean thousands more people get a safer home, faster. It helps families stay together, reduces pressure on social care, and keeps people living in the place they know best. We look forward to working with councils and local partners to turn this investment into real outcomes for the people who need it most’.
Cllr Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said, ‘Home adaptations funded through the Disabled Facilities Grant enable people to manage their health and wellbeing at home, preventing hospital admissions, reduce delayed discharges, support carers, and avoid premature moves into residential care.
‘Councils are committed to supporting disabled adults and older people to live independently, safely, and with dignity in their homes. The additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant is a vital mechanism in supporting councils to deliver this.’
Dr Rhidian Hughes, Chief Executive of the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG), 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.
‘We welcome the news today of extra investment in the Disabled Facilities Grant which will help to provide much needed support for more people accessing the fund’.
Karin Orman, Director of Practice and Innovation at the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, said, ‘The Disabled Facilities Grant is essential for enabling people to continue living in their own home, so this additional funding is very welcome. But it’s only part of the solution.
‘Without urgent investment in occupational therapists too, people risk waiting longer for expert assessments, which means people can get the changes they need to make their homes safe and accessible.’
To find out more about adapting your home, visit www.carechoices.co.uk/adapting-your-home
You can find out more about the Disabled Facilities grants at www.gov.uk/disabled-facilities-grants
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