Housing Adaptations

[BellaElla99]

Hi,

My daughter (under 10) has a life long medical condition that affects her blood, organs and bones. She experiences high pain, sickness and frequent illness due to this and is on different medications daily.

We live in a housing association house with a wet room but due to her condition, when she is poorly, she needs to be able to soak in a bath as hot water bottles are not working any longer.

The problem is, I cannot afford to replace the bathroom and with winter coming up (where her condition gets worse) I really need a bath for her. Baths help to manage her condition.

How do I go about getting a grant for this?

She gets higher rate DLA and has a care plan in place at school. Also under consultant care if that is relevant.

Has DD had an OT assessment via the council?

Have you asked your housing association what their policy is for adaptations? Where adaptations are necessary due to a disability some housing associations ask tenants to apply to the council for a Disabled Facilities Grant as you would if you privately rented, but some fund their own adaptations.

Unfortunately, even if a grant is approved, which isn't guaranteed, this is unlikely to be sorted for this winter - especially if you go down the DFG route as the council have 6 months to approve an application from when you apply, and you must not begin work before being approved.

On a separate note, has DD been seen by a pain clinic? And have you considered a hot tub. Some find they are great at pain relief/keeping mobile - if you are eligible for a grant family fund can grant these.

Would access to a steam room , hot tub help in the interim? Could you contact spas or leisure Center’s gyms hotels with this facility and gain membership on a monthly basis.

Speak to social services they can also help with direct payments to fund this in the interim whilst the grant is applied for.