£50m boost to help thousands more disabled and older people live independently at home
Thousands more older people and people with disabilities will be able to adapt their homes to live independently, thanks to an additional £50 million cash injection, the UK Government has announced.
The Department for Health has announced a boost to the Disabled Facilities Grant, which will be distributed to local authorities next month.
The government says that this announcement will bring total DSG funding for 2025-26 to £761 million. The DFG supports around 60,000 older people and people with disabilities each year, with an average grant of around £10,000 distributed by councils.
It comes at the start of a year when Baroness Casey’s Independent Commission is due to publish its first recommendations.
The major funding boost for the DFG could support around 5,000 more people to install vital home adaptations such as stairlifts, ramps, accessible bathrooms and assistive technologies. These assistive technologies include automatic door openers, lifts, height adjustable surfaces, ceiling track hoists, and smart technology for light and heat.
Minister for Social Security and Disability, Sir Stephen Timms, said: “Thousands of disabled people will have their lives transformed thanks to the changes they’ll be able to make to their homes.
“This additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant is part of our commitment to break down barriers at home, at work, and across our public services for disabled people.
“From ministerial leads for disability in every department to investing £1 billion a year in employment support by the end of the decade, disabled people are being given opportunities they have too often missed out on in the past.”
Councillor Steven Broadbent, Vice-Chair of the County Councils Network, said: “This £50m investment for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) will help County Councils Network members to support more residents to live safely and independently in their own homes and will relieve some immediate pressure on waiting lists.
“But this funding should be seen as a short-term boost rather than a long-term solution. Demand for home adaptations continues to rise, construction costs remain high, and councils still operate within a system that has not kept pace with need. Without sustained increases to the DFG budget and wider reform of adult social care, councils will continue to face difficult choices and residents reliant on these adaptations will continue to face long delays for support.”
Paul Smith, Managing Director of Foundations, the National Body for the Disabled Facilities Grant, said: “Every year we see how the right home adaptation can change someone’s life.
“This extra funding will mean thousands more people get a safer home, faster. It helps families stay together, reduces pressure on social care, and keeps people living in the place they know best. We look forward to working with councils and local partners to turn this investment into real outcomes for the people who need it most.”
Councillor Dr Wendy Taylor MBE, Chair of the LGA’s Health and Wellbeing Committee, said: “Home adaptations funded through the Disabled Facilities Grant enable people to manage their health and wellbeing at home, preventing hospital admissions, reduce delayed discharges, support carers, and avoid premature moves into residential care.
“Councils are committed to supporting disabled adults and older people to live independently, safely, and with dignity in their homes. The additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant is a vital mechanism in supporting councils to deliver this.”
Millie Brown, Deputy Director for Homes at the Centre for Ageing Better, said:“We welcome the additional funding for the Disabled Facilities Grant [DFG] which will help thousands more people to feel safer in their own homes and to have greater independence.
“Improving accessibility and reducing the falls risk in people’s homes offers excellent value for taxpayers’ money. Every £1 spent on home improvements to reduce falls lead to £7.5 worth of savings for the health and care sector.
