DFI Response to the Review of Housing Adaptation Grants

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage published a report on the review of Housing Adaptation Grants. DFI made a submission to the review in summer 2022, based on experiences and challenges DFI members and people with disabilities have had with the grant.  

The review recommends raising the grant limits by over 30% and income thresholds by 25%. This means the maximum grant would increase from €30,000 to €40,000. The changes to income thresholds and grant limits for the Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability are outlined in the following table:   

Source: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (2024). Report on the Review of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability.  

While the changes to the income thresholds and maximum grant amounts are welcome, the increased grant amounts do not match the level of inflation in construction costs. These costs have risen considerably since the introduction of the grant in 2007. In DFI’s submission, we called for a minimum increase of the maximum grant amount to €60,000. The following table from the report demonstrates high levels of inflation:  

Source: Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage (2024). Report on the Review of the Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability.  

The increased maximum grant amount of €40,000 will not cover the cost of bedroom/bathroom extensions in any of the sample Local Authority areas.  

There are a number of other changes recommended in the report, including:  

• Changes in the means testing, to assess only the income of the home owner/tenant and spouse. While DFI had called for only the income of the disabled person to be assessed, this will prevent multiple adult children living at home’s income being assessed which has caused significant challenges.  

• A number of other changes to the means testing process, including taking mortgage/rent expenses, nursing home fees and costs of care in the home into account and increased deductions for children and full-time carers. 

• Reduced Local Authority contribution from 20% to 15% of grant costs.  

• Establish a time specific working group with representation from DPOs, umbrella organisations and Local Authorities to further improve the application process. DFI highlighted the level of administrative burden on applicants in our submission and are keen to see this work progressed.  

• Explore capacity to move towards an online application process.  

• Support Local Authorities to provide the option of a staged grant payment process to ensure prompt payment to contractors.  

• Provide updated guidance to Local Authorities on housing adaptation assistive technologies relating to fixtures and fittings.  

The Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage is moving forward with the  review recommendations. They plan to introduce  a statutory instrument, as urgently as possible, and  aim to introduce a revised scheme in Quarter 1 of 2025. DFI are keen to see this take place, however we would also call for a further increase to the maximum grant limits, in light of the documented level of construction inflation and that funding be allocated for this in tomorrow’s Budget.  

For more information on the proposed changes see the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage press release and  the Report on the Review of Housing Adaptation Grants.