Adapting your home
Information if you want to stay in your home, but it needs to be adapted to meet the needs of you or someone you live with.
1. Making my current home more suitable
3. Adaptations to private homes
5. Adaptations to council homes
6. Adaptations to housing association homes
1. Making my current home more suitable
If you are having difficulty managing in your home, you may find specialist equipment to suit your needs. The HILDA website shows what can help for example, in your bathroom or bedroom. In addition, you can request an assessment of your needs by a council Occupational Therapist. Options range from small changes such as grab rails to bigger projects such as installing a stair lift. To find out more about the Occupational Therapy service, and how to get assessed, visit our Occupational Therapy pages.
The Occupational Therapist can make a recommendations. This will take into account both your current and future needs. If you are a council, housing association or private tenant the Occupational Therapist may also discuss the options with your landlord.
It may not always be possible to adapt your existing home, but where adaptation is not feasible or recommended we will assist you to find the best solution. Read more about your housing options on our webpage: helping you find somewhere else to live.
2. Adaptations
Small Adaptations
Small adaptations such as grab rails or taps can often be completed free of charge and do not require an assessment. For further information please contact 01875 824309 or email: communitycare@eastlothian.gov.uk .
Major Adaptations
Major adaptations include structural changes to your property, for example a wet floor shower. These adaptations require an assessment from an Occupational Therapist.
3. Adaptations to private homes
Adaptations can be added to either privately owned or private rented homes. For those in private rented accommodation, permission must be sought from your landlord prior to adaptations being installed. A person with a disability in a private let is entitled to seek to adapt their home to meet their needs. Their landlord's consent is required but this cannot be unreasonably withheld. Conditions can be placed on this, such as requiring reinstatement at the end of the tenancy. If a landlord refuses an adaptation, the tenant can take legal action. Information is available from Citizens Advice Bureaux or a solicitor.
If you need to make your home more suitable for your needs, we may be able to help with the cost of work, provided the changes have been recommended by an Occupational Therapist.
If you are in receipt of Income Support, Income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Universal Credit or Guaranteed Pension Credit you will receive a grant of 100% of the cost of the eligible work. All other applicants will receive a grant of at least 80% of the cost of the eligible work.
Read more from the Scottish Government on funding for home owners and funding for tenants.
Care and Repair
Care and Repair East Lothian offers practical help and advice for homeowners and private tenants who require an adaptation. They offer a range of other services for homeowners and private tenants over 60, or over 50 for people with a disability.
Assistance from Care and Repair East Lothian is optional but can include organising architectural services and tendering, assistance to apply for grant and possibly charitable funding, help with paperwork and liaising with contractors. The support offered will vary depending on needs.
Adapting your current home may not always be possible, or it may not always be the best option to meet your long term needs. In cases where an adaptation is not recommended we will assist you to find the best solution for you and your family. Read more about alternative housing on our webpage: Helping you find somewhere else to live.
5. Adaptations to council homes
The council sets aside a part of the budget each year for adaptations to its homes, and you should not need to pay for them.
For further information about adaptations to your council house download the Scottish Government guide for local authority tenants.
If the council considers your current property will not meet your long term needs, and it can offer alternative suitable accommodation, then an adaptation will not be approved. Similarly, if a major adaptation is not practical or reasonable, a move to alternative accommodation may be the best solution and an adaptation will not be approved. Read more about applying for a transfer on health grounds.
6. Adaptations to housing association homes
If adaptations to your housing association home are recommended, your landlord should provide the necessary funding, either through any Government grants or their own resources. Find contact details on our housing association contact page.
This Scottish Government guide tells you more about the funding of adaptations to Housing Association properties.
Your housing association may consider the costs of a major adaptation excessive - in which case a move may be the best solution. In this case, a discussion needs to take place involving you, your housing association landlord and your occupational therapist about your options. For general information about moving home, go to help for housing association tenants.