Equipment is provided free of charge by the Council.

Examples of equipment include a:

• bath board, bath seat or shower chair to help with bathing
• raised seat, toilet frame or commode to help access the toilet
• perched stool to help with food preparation

If you think that you or someone you care for may benefit from using a piece of equipment please contact:

Adults (Over 18 years)

• 0161 217 6029 (Stockport Direct)
• Use the Equipment, Adaptation and Sensory Loss Referral Form

You can also find out more about the services offered to disabled adults by the Council at the My Care My Choice website

Children and Young people

• 0161 426 5200 / 5201 / 5202 (Children's Equipment and Adaptations Service)
• Email [email protected]

You can also find out more about the services offered to disabled children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities by the Council at the Stockport SEND Local Offer website

What is an adaptation?

An adaptation is a physical alteration to your home to enable you to live as independently as possible. These can be either 'minor' or 'major' adaptations.

Examples of minor adaptations include:

• grab rails
• a half step.

Minor adaptations are provided free of charge by the Council (or your landlord if you rent your home from a housing association).

Examples of major adaptations include:

• a level access / walk-in shower
• a stair lift
• a ramp to enable you to get in or out of the property to your garden
• a ceiling track hoist.

The cost of major adaptations can usually be paid by a Council grant called a Disabled Facilities Grant. For more information about the Disabled Facilities Grant, please go to Disabled Facilities Grant page on the Gov.uk website or see below for 'paying for adaptation'.

To determine if you would be eligible for a minor or major adaptation, an Occupational Therapist or Equipment and Adaptations Officer will look at whether adaptations to your property will help you.

For more information, contact:

Adults (Over 18 years)

• 0161 217 6029 (Stockport Direct)
• Use the Equipment, Adaptation and Sensory Loss Referral Form

You can also find out more about the services offered to disabled adults by the Council at the My Care My Choice website

Children and Young people

• 0161 426 5200 / 5201 / 5202 (Children's Equipment and Adaptations Service)
• Email [email protected]

You can also find out more about the services offered to disabled children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities by the Council at the Stockport SEND Local Offer website

Note: The Council cannot offer grant funding for adaptations you have already completed so if you would like a grant to pay for the work you must obtain a formal written grant approval before you undertake any adaptations. Failure to do this will mean you will have to pay for the work yourself.

Disabled Facilities Grants (DFG)

The grant eligibility criteria and the type of adaptations for which grant can be offered are set nationally by the Government. See the Disabled Facilities Grant page on gov.uk

The DFG is a mandatory grant which means if you meet all the qualifying criteria the Council must offer you a grant to pay for the adaptations.

The maximum grant is £30,000.

The DFG is a means-tested grant unless the adaptations are for a child or young person under the age of 18 years in which case there is no means-test.

The means-testing is based on a number of factors including your age, your family make-up, and any benefits you receive. The financial test looks at your income and savings/assets and those of your partner, if applicable. Some grant applicants will have to pay a contribution towards the cost of the adaptations and some people will not be eligible for any grant.

If there is more than one way of adapting your home to meet your needs, any offer of a grant will be based on the most cost effective solution as this makes best use of public funds. For example, you may feel that a ground floor extension to provide bathing and WC facilities would address your mobility issues. However if a stairlift and adaptations to the bathroom would meet your needs an offer of DFG would be based on this more cost effective solution.

Adaptations must be 'necessary and appropriate' (to meet the needs of the disabled person) and works must be 'reasonable and practicable'. These are the requirements of the national legislation. For example, an occupant of a second or third floor flat with mobility difficulties may benefit from a stairlift to gain access to their flat. However the provision of numerous stairlifts would not be reasonable or practicable and alternative options would have to be explored.

Owner- occupiers only: If the adaptations include an extension to your property, a portion of the DFG may be repayable. For more information please refer to the Council's Private Sector Housing Investment and Assistance Policy

For more information about how DFG applications are processed and how Stockport Homes can help you arrange the adaptations you need please read our leaflet Adapting Your Home

Discretionary Funding from the Council

In limited circumstances the Council may offer financial support on a discretionary basis to help disabled residents adapt their home in ways that a Disabled Facilities Grant cannot fund, or move to a more suitable property. For more information please go to the Housing Investment and Assistance Policy