It might be simply be that you are no longer able to manage the stairs without excessive difficulty or an elderly relative has recently become a permanent part of the house hold. Perhaps a member of your family has recently suffered a disabling injury or that an existing disability is now being further exacerbated because of restricted mobility within your warm home.

The simplest improvements in your existing floor layout can make a huge difference. For any older persons or persons with a disability interested in carrying out necessary alterations to their house, you should be aware that there are 3 types of Grants available from your Local Authority (Cork City & County Council) to assist you. The grant can help you to make changes and adaptions to your home, for example, making it wheelchair – accessible, extending it to create more space, adding a ground-floor bathroom or toilet or bedroom. If you require minor work you can apply for the Mobility Aids Grant Scheme instead. However these grants are means tested. The 3 types of Grants available from Cork City & County Council are:

  • Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability
    The Housing Adaption Grant for People with a Disability is available to assist in carrying out of works which are reasonably necessary for the purposes of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability who has an enduring physical, sensory, mental health or intellectual impairment. The types of works allowable under the scheme include the provision of access ramps, downstairs toilet facilities, accessible showers (wet room) adaptions to facilitate wheelchair access (widening of doorways, passages etc.), house extensions (i.e. bedroom and wet room extensions, kitchen extensions etc.) and any other works which are reasonably necessary for the purpose of rendering a house more suitable for the accommodation of a person with a disability.The Housing Adaption Grant for People with a Disability is a means tested grant. This means your total household income is accessed to find out if you qualify for the grant and the amount payable. There are items that are not taken into account when calculating your household income; these can be found on the city councils website.

 

  • Mobility Aids Grant Scheme
    A grant of up to €6,000.00 (or 100% of the cost of the works, whichever is lesser) may be sought to address mobility problems primarily, but not exclusively, associated with ageing. The works grant aided under the scheme include: – Grab Rails, access ramps, level access wet rooms etc. Approvals of Grants are again means tested. The grant is available to households whose gross annual household income does not exceed €30,000.00.

 

  • Housing Aid for Older People Grant
    The Scheme of Housing Aid for Older People is available to assist older people living in poor housing conditions to have necessary repairs or improvements carried out. The types of works grant aided under the scheme include structural repairs or improvements, rewiring, repairs to or replacement of windows and doors, the provision of heating, water and sanitary services, cleaning, painting and dry lining (re-slabing walls and plastering). A grant of up to €10,500 is available and the level of grant aid is means tested on the basis of gross household income.

 

When your local authority receives your application it will be prioritised based on medical need. On receipt of your application your local authority may ask for an occupational therapist’s (OT) assessment. The local authority can arrange for an OT assessment, or you can hire an OT privately to carry out an assessment (to speed up your application) and recoup up to €200.00 as part of the total grant.

Tax Clearance: If you get a grant of more than €10,000.00 you must have a valid Tax Clearance Certificate. If you intend to pay more than €650.00 to a Building Contractor, you must get your contractor to submit their C2/Tax Clearance Certificate to the Cork City or County Council.

Where to apply: You should contact the Housing Department of your local authority for all information concerning the above or alternatively log on to their website.

We at Doyle Bros have a vast amount of experience in completing Disability Extensions and remedial works on behalf of persons with restricted mobility. We are in a position to provide all necessary insurances, tax clearance certificates and bills of specifications required for the tendering process required by the city and county council.