This step takes up to 6 months to complete.
What happens in this step?
In this step, your district or borough council will formally review your Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) application. They will check the following documents:
- the completed plans agreed by you, your occupational therapist (OT) and surveyor or technical officer
- your financial documents
- quotes or tenders from the builders or contractors
- building control consent
When required they will also check you have:
- planning permission
- your landlord's permission
The grants officer will then do the Final Test of Resources (FTOR). This will work out if you are eligible for the grant and how much you will get.
Your grants officer will send your approved application to your home improvement agency or acting agent. You are ready to move onto the next stage of the major adaptation process.
The grant officer has 6 months to approve the application. This may be longer if:
- there are any issues with your application
- there are delays in getting the necessary approvals
The grants officer will talk to you and your case worker about any issues they find. They may need to ask for a new application or report. If this happens, the grants officer has 6 months to approve a new application. Depending on local policies, your district or borough council may pause or restart the process.
To avoid delays, make sure you send your paperwork back as soon as you can.
There are a few things that could delay this step. These include changes to:
- your needs
- your financial situation
- the recommendations of the OT
Generally, delays are only likely when major changes occur. District and borough councils may introduce a waiting list where demands exceed funding. This may mean that you're request is moved into the next financial year.
A change in your needs
If your needs have changed since your initial assessment, you may need to have a new assessment. This might mean your agreed plans change. Major changes may delay the process. Generally, OTs make recommendations that meet your foreseeable needs over 5 years.
A change in your financial situation
Your financial situation may change after the Initial Test of Resources (ITOR). This could affect your eligibility for the DFG or the amount of money you get.
A change to your agreed plan
The grants officer or other agency may challenge the OT's recommendations. They may suggest more reasonable and practical solutions.
You may want to make a change to your recommended plan. For example, your OT has recommended a level-access shower wet room and a stairlift. This is the most cost-effective way to meet your needs. You would prefer to build an extension to create a ground-floor wet room. This is a more expensive option.
Your district or borough council may agree to fund the most cost-effective option. You can then use that grant to put towards your preferred option.