The short answer
The main grant is the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), provided through your local council and worth up to £30,000 in England (limits differ in Wales and Northern Ireland). It can pay for accessible bathrooms, level-access showers, grab rails, widened doorways and similar adaptations. Applying involves an occupational therapy (OT) assessment, which is mandatory — the council will not approve a grant without one. For adults the grant is means-tested on the income and savings of the disabled person and their partner, with the first £6,000 of savings ignored; there is no means test where the application is for a child or young person under 19. Separately, adaptations for a disabled person are usually zero-rated for VAT, whether or not a grant is involved.
Funding an accessible bathroom is less daunting once the routes are clear. There are two separate things that help: a grant that can pay for the work, and VAT relief that removes the tax from disability adaptations. Here is how each works.
Funding at a glance
- Disabled Facilities Grant (England)up to £30,000
- Routevia local council + OT assessment
- Means test (adults)first £6,000 savings ignored
- Children under 19no means test
- VAT on adaptationsusually zero-rated
The Disabled Facilities Grant and OT route
The Disabled Facilities Grant is a council-administered grant for adapting a home so a disabled person can live there more safely and independently. You apply through your local council, which arranges an occupational therapy assessment of the person's needs and the property. The OT recommends what is necessary and appropriate — for a bathroom that might be a level-access shower, grab rails or a widened doorway. The assessment is a mandatory part of the process; without it the council cannot approve the grant. Demand is high, so there can be a waiting period for the assessment and approval, which is worth planning around.
| Step | What happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Contact council | ask adult social care for an OT assessment |
| 2. OT assessment | needs and property assessed (mandatory) |
| 3. Grant application | council confirms eligible works and amount |
| 4. Works carried out | by an approved or your own contractor |
General outline of the DFG route in England. Confirm details with your local council. Source: GOV.UK / Disability Rights UK.
The means test, exemptions and VAT relief
For an adult, the DFG is means-tested on the income and savings of the disabled person and their partner — it is not pass-or-fail but affects how much you contribute, and the first £6,000 of savings is disregarded. Importantly, there is no means test where the grant is for a child or young person under 19 for whom child benefit is payable, so families applying for a child are not assessed on income. Separately from any grant, HMRC lets suppliers zero-rate VAT on goods and installation that are designed for disabled people — such as a walk-in bath, level-access shower or grab rails — once a short eligibility declaration is signed.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is the Disabled Facilities Grant?
In England the Disabled Facilities Grant is worth up to £30,000, administered by your local council. Limits differ in Wales and Northern Ireland. It can pay for accessible bathrooms, level-access showers, grab rails and similar adaptations.
Is the Disabled Facilities Grant means-tested?
For adults, yes — it is assessed on the income and savings of the disabled person and their partner, with the first £6,000 of savings ignored. There is no means test where the grant is for a child or young person under 19 for whom child benefit is payable.
Do I need an occupational therapy assessment for a grant?
Yes. An occupational therapy assessment is a mandatory part of the Disabled Facilities Grant process — the council cannot approve the grant without one. It is arranged through your local council's adult social care team.
Do I pay VAT on disabled bathroom adaptations?
Usually not. Goods and installation designed for disabled people, such as a walk-in bath, level-access shower or grab rails, are normally zero-rated for VAT under HMRC's relief, separate from any grant, once a short eligibility declaration is signed.
Sources & further reading
Figures on this page are typical UK ranges drawn from published sources and depend on the individual's needs and the property. They are guidance, not a quotation.