If you're disabled, adapting your current home may not work for you.
It may not be physically practical or it may not be the most cost effective solution.
If you are eligible for the Disabled Facilities Grant but your property is not able to be adapted to meet your needs, you can apply for a grant to help move into a home which is more suitable.
Assessing your needs
You must have a needs assessment before you can apply for a Relocation Grant. If you have not already done so, you will need to arrange for an assessment.
View the Get an assessment of your needs page.
Once we are satisfied that the adaptations are necessary and appropriate, you will be sent an invitation to apply for a grant.
Eligibility
You must be eligible for the mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant.
We will also consider the following criteria:
- you need to move to give or receive care, or to receive medical treatment
- you need to move to maintain or gain employment
- the cost of works to your current property may exceed the benefits
- the cost of adaptations may exceed the total offer from grants, loans and contributions from other sources
- your tenancy is due to end and will not be renewed, or is otherwise unstable
- your relationship has broken down
- you wish to downsize
This is not an exhaustive list and other factors may be considered.
A grant of up to £7,000 can be provided towards reasonable moving costs. This includes costs such as legal fees or the use of a professional removal company. It will not be given towards the purchase price of an alternative property.
The amount of grant awarded will be determined on a case by case basis and will depend on:
- occupancy type (owner or tenant)
- location of the original and new properties
- the residual equity and any increased mortgage debt
- whether you are moving within the council’s jurisdiction or beyond
- whether the original property is unadaptable, unaffordable or poor value to adapt
- if moving is a result of a landlord’s refusal to permit adaptation
If you move within the local area, you can still apply for a mandatory Disabled Facilities Grant to adapt your new home. You could be awarded up to £30,000 but this could be reduced due to an assessed contribution.
This grant is available to home owners and tenants.
As there are too many factors to consider when assessing suitability, we do not have a fixed grant policy. We will consider each case on its own merits, alongside the guidance above and resources available.
Final approval of the award value will be given by a manager with the authority to approve works of that value.
Conditions
This grant is not means tested and there will be no land charge registered against the property.
You must be a permanent resident of Bracknell Forest and the property must be your current and intended permanent address.
A maximum of one application will be considered in any 5 year period.
How to apply
You can apply for this grant by filling in the online form. The link to the online form will be sent to you in your invitation to apply email.
Everything you will need to fill in the form is explained below.
Your completed form will be sent to the Disabled Facilities Grant Team.
Funding will be awarded on a case by case basis at the discretion of the council’s senior management.
Information needed to fill in the form
Before applying for a Relocation or Help to Move Grant, make sure you have:
- checked whether you are eligible to apply - see the eligibility criteria in the Housing Assistance Policy 2021 to 2026
- the necessary documents ready for upload when filling in the form
Important: documents for proof of identity, proof of current address and either proof of new tenancy or proof of purchase of the new address must be provided.
We are unable to process your application without them.
You must be either the owner or tenant of the property to apply for a Relocation or Help to Move Grant.
You will need 1 of the following:
- provisional or full UK driving licence
- passport
- birth certificate
- marriage certificate
If the applicant and the disabled person are not the same, both will need proof of identity.
You will need to provide at least 2 of the following:
These must be within the last 3 months:
- bank statement (inclusive of your address but not financial information)
- pension letter
- utilities bill
- Council Tax bill
- benefit confirmation letter
- child benefit or child tax credit letter
If the applicant and the disabled person are not the same, both will need proof of address.
You will need to provide proof of your new tenancy, for example your tenancy agreement.
If you are buying or have bought your new property, provide evidence of the purchase.
Your application for funding must include supporting information from a professional.
In most cases, this will be your Occupational Therapist.
If your professional is helping you fill in the form, they will need to include a brief description of the difficulties you are having and why a move is recommended, rather than adapting your current property.
This information can be typed directly into the form or, if you have this as a separate document, you can upload the supporting information to the form.
If your professional is not helping you fill in the form, you will need their contact details:
- name
- occupation
- email address
- phone number
If the supporting information is from a professional other than your Occupational Therapist, the Disabled Facilities Grant Team will need to consult with an Occupational Therapist on your behalf to make sure that your needs are met.
You will need quotations for of each cost you are claiming for.
You will be asked to upload evidence of these.
If you have any other supporting information, this can be typed directly into the form or, if you have this as a separate document, you can upload it.
Checklist and apply
When you are ready to apply for a Relocation Grant you will have:
- checked you are eligible
- had a needs assessment and received an invitation by email to apply for the grant
- prepared all the evidence that you will need to upload
You are now ready to fill in the online form, using the link in the invitation to apply email.