Aids and adaptations
3.1 Eligibility
Aids and adaptations will only be considered to one of our properties if the person requiring the work is named on the tenancy agreement or is a permanent household member.
Tenants will be considered for adaptations to their home under the Equality Act 2010 if they, or a permanent household member has an impairment that is likely to last for at least 12 months or the remainder of their life, that substantially affects their ability to carry out normal day to day activities or access facilities in or around the property.
Under the terms of the policy, a person is regarded as ‘disabled’ as defined under the Housing, Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 (as amended) if they meet any of the following criteria:
- Sensory impairment: Their sight, hearing, or speech is substantially impaired.
- Mental impairment: They have a mental disorder or any other type of mental impairment.
- Physical disability: They are substantially physically disabled due to illness, injury, or other impairment, including those present since birth.
- Registered disabled: For those aged 18 or over, they may be registered as disabled in specific social services registers, or the social services authority may deem them disabled based on their assessment of the person.
Only aids and adaptations that have been recommended by a North Tyneside Council Occupational Therapist will be considered. To request an assessment or receive more information, the North Tyneside Adult Social Care Team can be contacted on 0191 643 2777 or email childrenandadults@northtyneside.gov.uk
If the Housing Services team is contacted direct with enquiries or requests for aids and adaptations, the caller will be redirected to the North Tyneside Adult Social Care Team.
Aids and adaptations for children of tenants will only be completed at the property which is their principal home.
Aids and adaptation work recommended by the Occupational Therapy service will still be carried out to a property when the tenant has submitted a Right to Buy application.
Aids and adaptations recommended by the Occupational Therapy service will still be carried out on the current property, when a tenant has applied for rehousing or a mutual exchange to assist them move to a more appropriate home.
Work may not be carried out to a property where Notice of Seeking Possession proceedings have commenced, or a possession order is in place.
3.2 Equipment and aids
If a tenant, or a permanent member of their household meets the Fair Access to Care (FACS) criteria, information is available here health services or our Occupational Therapy service, can provide a range of freestanding, portable or medical aids, including:
- Portable hoists, e.g. to help people get in and out of chairs or baths
- Hospital beds
- Toilet frames and specialist toilet seats
- Wheelchairs
- Shower chairs
- Chair risers
- Walking frames
- Assistive technology, such as a door entry system.
3.3 Funding of aids and adaptation work
The cost of any aids and adaptation work carried out within council owned homes on the recommendation of an Occupational Therapist (OT) will be met by our Housing Revenue Account (HRA). There is no charge to the tenant for the installation of any minor or major adaptations, this includes internal and external work that is carried out.
A council tenant can apply for a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) but funding will be provided through the HRA. More information is available here
3.4 Minor adaptation criteria
If the estimated cost of works is £1,000 or less, it is considered a minor adaptation. The work will be carried out if it is identified, necessary and practical to undertake.
Some examples of minor adaptations include:
- Key safes
- Grab rails
- Widening doors for wheelchair access
3.5 Major adaptation criteria
If the estimated cost of works is more than £1,000, it is considered a major adaptation.
All requests for major adaptation work must be assessed by an OT who will provide recommendations and specifications as necessary, including highlighting any high priority cases.
During this assessment, the OT may request assistance from a Building Surveyor and Housing Officer to assess the suitability of the property for adaption. Once an adaptation is agreed a member of the Aids and Adaptations team will work with the OT to arrange for a suitably qualified contractor to carry out the work.
Some examples of a major adaptation include:
- Over bath shower
- Bathroom conversion to a wet room
- Extension for bedroom and/or bathroom
- Major internal reorganisation of the home
- Stair-lift
- Vertical through floor lift
- External works such as a driveway
In some cases, alternative options could include:
- waiting for an existing suitable alternative property to become available.
- waiting for an alternative property that can be more practically adapted to become available.
3.6 Maintenance and servicing of equipment
Some aids and adaptations will be subject to maintenance and servicing, this includes stair lifts, through floor lifts.
The council is responsible for arranging for the checks to be carried out on the equipment, with the expectation that tenants allow reasonable access to their home for the maintenance and servicing work to be undertaken.
3.7 Tenant installation of aids and adaptations
The Aids and Adaptations team will only install equipment following an Occupational Therapy assessment and recommendations.
If a tenant wishes to install their own equipment, then depending on what it is and whether an alteration to the property is needed, a fixture and fittings request may have to be submitted. More information on this is available here.