Bathroom Adaptation Grants: Can I Get Help to Pay for a Walk-In Shower or Accessible Bathroom?
If getting in and out of the bath or using your bathroom safely has become difficult because of a disability or long-term health condition, you may be able to get financial help towards adapting your bathroom.
In England, a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) can provide up to £30,000 towards eligible adaptations. Depending on your needs, this could include a level-access shower, wet room or other changes that help you use your bathroom safely and independently. The amount you receive will depend on your circumstances, and for adults the grant is usually means-tested.
Maximum DFG amounts currently are:
- England: Up to £30,000
- Wales: Up to £36,000
- Northern Ireland: Up to £25,000
Some councils can provide additional funding above the statutory maximum through their own local policies. Grants are means-tested for adults, which means the council may assess your income and savings to decide how much you’ll need to contribute. However, children under 18 are not subject to means-testing, so families may receive full funding.
Did you know?
The Government has allocated £723 million to Disabled Facilities Grants in England for 2026/27, helping local authorities fund home adaptations that enable people to live independently for longer.
What is a Disabled Facilities Grant?
Disabled Facilities Grants (DFGs) are one of the main sources of funding for accessible bathrooms in the UK. Local councils provide these grants to help pay for home changes that make daily life easier for disabled people.
This can include things like:
- Walk-in showers and walk-in baths
- Level-access wet rooms
- Grab rails and support bars
- Non-slip flooring
- Accessible toilets and lowered basins
- Widened doorways for mobility aids
Can I get a grant to replace my bath with a walk-in shower?
Potentially, yes. A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) may help towards the cost of replacing a bath with a more accessible shower if your existing bathing facilities are difficult or unsafe to use because of a disability or long-term health condition.
Your local council will assess your needs and determine whether the proposed bathroom adaptation is necessary and appropriate. This could include replacing a bath that you can no longer safely get in and out of with a level-access or accessible shower, along with other features such as grab rails or suitable flooring.
The amount of help available will depend on your individual circumstances and, for adults, a financial assessment may be required. It’s important to contact your local council before arranging or starting any work, as beginning the adaptation before your grant has been approved could affect your eligibility for funding.
Can pensioners get a grant for a new bathroom?
A Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) is designed to help people whose disability or long-term health condition makes it difficult to use essential facilities in their home safely. If you’re struggling to get in and out of the bath, for example, an assessment may recommend adaptations such as a level-access shower, wet room, grab rails or other changes that make bathing safer and easier.
For adults, Disabled Facilities Grants are usually means-tested, so your household income and savings may affect how much financial help you receive. However, don’t assume that having savings or owning your home means you won’t qualify – it’s worth contacting your local council and asking for an assessment.
It’s also important to remember that a DFG isn’t generally intended to pay for a new bathroom simply because it needs updating. The work must be considered necessary and appropriate to meet the needs of the disabled person living in the property.
If you’re beginning to find bathing difficult, you don’t have to wait until you’ve had a fall or can no longer manage. You can contact your local council to find out what assessment and financial support may be available.
Do savings affect a Disabled Facilities Grant?
Yes. If you’re an adult applying for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), your household income and savings are usually taken into account as part of a financial assessment, often referred to as a means test.
In England, the first £6,000 of household savings is disregarded. Savings above this amount may affect how much you’re expected to contribute towards the cost of your bathroom adaptations. Your income and certain benefits are also considered when the council calculates whether you need to make a contribution.
However, having more than £6,000 in savings doesn’t automatically mean you won’t qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Depending on your circumstances and the cost of the work required, you may still be entitled to some financial help.
Different rules can apply in certain circumstances, including applications for adaptations for disabled children and young people under 18, which are not subject to the standard means test.
If you’re unsure whether your savings will affect your eligibility, it’s worth speaking to your local council rather than assuming you won’t qualify. They can carry out the financial assessment and tell you what, if anything, you would be expected to contribute.
Do I need to receive PIP to qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant?
No. You do not need to receive Personal Independence Payment (PIP) to apply for or qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG).
Eligibility for a DFG is based on whether you have a disability or health condition that means adaptations to your home are necessary and appropriate to help you live safely and independently. For example, you may be struggling to get in and out of the bath safely even though you don’t currently claim PIP.
For adults, the amount of financial help you receive is usually determined through a means test, which considers household income and savings. Receiving certain means-tested benefits can affect how this assessment is carried out, but PIP itself is not a requirement for applying.
So, if you’re finding your bathroom increasingly difficult or unsafe to use, don’t assume you can’t get help simply because you don’t receive disability benefits. Contact your local council to ask about an assessment and find out whether you could be eligible for support.
Do I need an Occupational Therapist?
Not always, but an Occupational Therapist (OT) or another suitably trained professional may assess your needs as part of a Disabled Facilities Grant application.
The assessment looks at how you manage everyday activities in your home and what changes could help you live more safely and independently. In the bathroom, this might include difficulties getting in and out of the bath, standing to shower, using the toilet or moving safely around the room.
Following the assessment, recommendations might include relatively simple adaptations such as grab rails or shower seating, or more significant changes such as replacing an inaccessible bath with a level-access shower or wet room.
The exact process varies between local authorities, so your first step should usually be to contact your local council’s adult social care or housing adaptations team. They can explain whether you need an OT assessment and arrange the appropriate assessment if required.
If you’re hoping to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant, it’s sensible to speak to the council before arranging or starting bathroom work, as the proposed adaptations will normally need to be agreed as necessary and appropriate for your needs.
Can I choose my own bathroom installer?
Possibly, but the rules vary between local councils, so it’s important to check before appointing an installer or agreeing to any work.
Some councils have their own approved or recommended contractors, while others may allow you to choose your own bathroom installer, provided the company and proposed work meet the council’s requirements. You may also be asked to obtain more than one quotation as part of your Disabled Facilities Grant application.
If you would prefer to use a particular accessible bathroom specialist, tell your council or Occupational Therapist before the work is commissioned. They can explain whether you’re able to choose your own contractor and what information, quotations or approvals they will need.
Most importantly, don’t instruct an installer or start the bathroom adaptation until your grant has been formally approved. Starting work too early could affect the funding you’re entitled to receive.
If you’re considering a particular installer, you can still ask them to discuss your requirements and provide a quotation while your application is being considered – just make sure you understand your council’s process before committing to the work.
How long does a Disabled Facilities Grant take to approve?
The time it takes to approve a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) can vary depending on your local council, your individual needs and whether further assessments or information are required.
Once the council receives a valid and completed DFG application, it must normally give you a decision within six months. However, the overall process can take longer because you may first need an assessment of your needs, plans for the proposed adaptations and quotations for the work before the formal application is complete.
If your bathroom is becoming difficult or unsafe to use, it’s therefore a good idea to contact your local council as early as possible, rather than waiting until bathing becomes unmanageable.
Remember that you should not start the adaptation before receiving the appropriate approval from your council, as this could affect whether you receive funding.
Who Can Apply For A DFG?
You can apply for a DFG if you are a homeowner, a tenant, or a landlord applying on behalf of a disabled person living in the property. The key requirement is that the person who needs the changes must live in the home as their main residence, and the changes must be considered necessary and reasonable.
How To Apply For A Disabled Facilities Grant
- Contact your local council – ask to speak to the team responsible for housing adaptations.
- The council will usually arrange for an occupational therapist to assess your home and recommend suitable changes.
- If approved, the council will confirm how much they will contribute towards the work.
- You can then choose a trusted installer like Living Well Bathrooms to carry out the work professionally.
- Top tip: Apply early. The process can take several weeks or months, especially if demand in your area is high.
Other Charities and Organisations That May Be Able to Help
If you don’t qualify for a Disabled Facilities Grant, or the grant doesn’t cover the full cost of the adaptations you need, don’t assume there are no other options. Several charities and organisations offer free advice, benefits checks or information about other sources of financial support.
Age UK
Age UK provides advice about adapting your home, Disabled Facilities Grants and other financial support that may be available as you get older. They can also help you check whether you’re receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to, such as Attendance Allowance.
Your local Age UK may also be able to advise you about services and support available specifically in your area.
Scope
Scope provides free information and advice for disabled people and their families, including detailed guidance about home adaptations, Occupational Therapist assessments and applying for a Disabled Facilities Grant.
Scope doesn’t provide grants itself, but it can help you understand your options and where to look for additional financial support.
Turn2us
Turn2us can be particularly useful if you’re looking for financial help beyond your local council.
Its online Grants Search allows you to search for charitable grants you may be eligible for based on your circumstances. It also offers a Benefits Calculator to help identify benefits and other financial support you could be entitled to.
Charitable grants often have specific eligibility criteria, so it’s worth checking rather than assuming you won’t qualify.
Independence at Home
Independence at Home provides grants to people with disabilities or long-term illnesses who are experiencing financial hardship.
Depending on individual circumstances and eligibility, grants can contribute towards essential items and equipment that can help someone remain independent at home. Applications generally need to be made through a health, social care or other professional supporting you, rather than directly by the individual.
Foundations and Your Local Home Improvement Agency
Foundations is the national body for Home Improvement Agencies in England. Home Improvement Agencies help older and disabled people maintain, repair and adapt their homes so they can continue living safely and independently.
Your local agency may be able to help you understand the Disabled Facilities Grant process, complete an application, arrange surveys or quotations and coordinate adaptations.
Foundations also provides the Adapt My Home tool, which can help you explore what adaptations may be suitable and estimate whether you might need to contribute towards a Disabled Facilities Grant.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask What Help Is Available
Funding for home and bathroom adaptations can vary depending on where you live and your individual circumstances. Even if you’re told you don’t qualify for one particular form of funding, it may be worth checking whether other local schemes, charitable grants or benefits could help.
A good starting point is your local council, which can explain what support is available in your area and how to request an assessment. Find your local authority here and see if they can help. https://www.gov.uk/apply-disabled-facilities-grant
Planning Your Bathroom Adaptation
If you’ve been advised that bathroom adaptations could help you live more safely and independently, the next stage is understanding what will work in your particular home.
Every bathroom is different, and the right solution will depend on your mobility, the available space, plumbing and drainage, as well as any recommendations made by your occupational therapist or local authority.
Living Well Bathrooms has been helping people create safer, more accessible bathrooms since 1999. If you need a quotation as part of your planning or simply want to understand what’s possible in your home, we’re happy to talk through your options with no pressure.
Call our friendly team on 0800 731 6495 to find out more or to book a free home visit and measure.