Disabled Aids and Adaptations
Aids and adaptations are alterations to your home that make it easier for you and your family to live independently
If you or members of your family have mobility problems, you may be eligible for adaptations to your property to enable you to live independently in your home. In most cases we will pay for minor adaptations but for major adaptations you may be eligible for a grant.
Click here for more information on Aids and Adaptations, or click the image on the right-hand side of this page.
We recommend that you contact an Occupational Therapist (OT) for guidance, even if you think you know the type of aids and adaptations that may be suitable for you. Seeking the advice of an OT is important as it ensures that your needs are properly assessed.
What is an Occupational Therapist (OT) and what do they do?
The work of an OT is to make everyday activities easier, to improve quality of life, and to help you live as independently as possible. An OT is trained to assess what type of adaptations are required in your home to meet your needs.
OT is provided for people with a disability that affects normal daily activities like dressing, washing, bathing, getting on and off the toilet, getting in and out of the bath, or preparing and cooking meals. It can also include issues like access to employment, education, housing, and leisure.
Your local authority and/or GP can help you arrange a visit by an OT, but you will need to arrange this with your local council's OT team.
How to contact your local OT team
- If you live in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets: email enquiry@towerhamletsconnect.org.uk or telephone 0207 364 5000.
- If you live in the Royal Borough of Hackney: telephone 0208 356 6262 or visit the Hackney Service Centre located at 1 Hillman Street, London E8 1DY (open Monday to Friday, 9am – 5pm).
- If you live in the Royal Borough of Newham: contact the Adult Social Care Team by telephoning 0208 430 2000 (select option 2) or email Accessto.AdultsSocialCareTeam@newham.gov.uk
What happens after my OT assessment?
The OT will report back to Gateway and we will contact you to discuss the next steps. We will organise minor adaptations often straight away, whereas grant funded work will be arranged by a local authority OT. When work is finished, it will be inspected to ensure it meets Gateway’s quality standards.
What aids and adaptations can Gateway provide?
Gateway’s policy is to cover the cost of adaptations up to £1,000.
There are two types of adaptions as detailed below. Gateway’s Homeworks staff are trained to carry out works recommended by an OT, normally within 30 days. Every local authority provides residents who are eligible with OT advice. Please contact your local authority and once an OT has assessed your needs, they will be able make a recommendation to Gateway.
What if the cost of my aids and adaptation exceeds £1000?
Aids and adaptations that exceed £1,000 are considered as major adaptations and are not paid for by Gateway. You may have to apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant through your local authority to pay for this.
Minor adaptations (below £1000) include:
- Installing lever taps
- Fitting grab rails and handrails
- Adapting lighting or heating controls to make them easier to use
- Installing half steps at front and back doors
Major adaptations (exceeding £1000) include:
- Installing stair lifts or through-the-floor lifts
- Replacing baths with wet floor showers and /or replacing wet floor showers back to bathroom bathrooms
- Installing external access ramps
- Fitting lower kitchen worktops.
Who to ask at Gateway to pay for aids and adaptations?
Gateway will consider requests for aids and adaptions from general needs residents as well as those living in our supported housing and sheltered accommodation. However, we are unable pay for adaptations for shared owners, leaseholders or tenants applying for Right to Buy or Right to Acquire.
Once you are assessed by an OT, they will contact Gateway to make a recommendation, which may include providing drawings for your home to be adapted. Gateway will review the recommendation to assess whether it can be undertaken by us. For example, there may be technical, structural, legal reasons why it may not be possible to undertake the proposed work. But in all cases, we will explore the best option to resolve these challenges. Where this is not be possible, you will be referred to our housing management team for further support and advice.
Who do I need to talk to about aids and adaptations?
Call Gateways Customer Services team on 0208 709 4300 to discuss and request adaptations. We will review your request, which may involve a surveyor visiting your home to discuss the requirement.
Who maintains the adaptations?
Gateway will review each request individually and usually will maintain all adaptations (including those that are grant funded). If a repair is needed please contact the Customer Services Team. Please note that Gateway will not maintain adaptations that you install and pay for privately.
When the occupational therapy team lets us know what work we need to do, we will write to them with our response and send you a copy of our letter so you know what is happening. We will only refuse to carry out work in very unusual circumstances, for example, if we think the work will damage the building your home is in.
We will carry out the work recommended by the occupational therapist to make it easier for you to get around at home. We can usually carry out small adaptations within 30 days, but major work (such as putting in a stairlift) may take several months, depending on how long it takes to process your application and the type of work that is needed.
Click here to view our Aids and Adaptations Policy
Further help and advice?
For further help and advice please contact the Customer Services team on 0208 709 4300 or email Customer.Services@GatewayHousing.org.uk