The Outcome of the Disabled Facilities Grant Application and Next Steps (Occupational Therapy)

1. The Outcome of the Application

Notification of the outcome

The Housing Authority should contact you to:

1. Notify you of the outcome of the Disabled Facilities Grant application;
2. Explain the rationale for the decision; and
3. When the application has been approved, advise you of planned next steps and proposed timeframes to carry out the adaptation; and
4. Confirm that the person has been notified of the outcome.

If you have any questions regarding the outcome you should seek clarity, especially when the DFG application was not approved.

You may also be notified of the outcome by the person (or their carer/representative). In this instance you should seek confirmation from the Housing Authority.

Notifying the person of the outcome

The Housing Authority must write to the person to notify them of the outcome of the application. They must make sure that they communicate in an accessible way and take steps to satisfy themselves that the person understands the outcome of the application.

Recording the outcome

You must make a proportionate record of the outcome, including the rationale for any decision made.

When you have been notified in writing by the Housing Authority a copy of this written communication should be kept on the person's file.

Notifying others of the outcome

You should seek consent of the person to notify others of the outcome who:

1. Have not been involved in the assessment; but
2. Who have an interest in the outcome of the DFG application; because
3. They have a role in supporting the person to meet any on-going needs.

Examples of people who you may need to notify include:

1. A social work practitioner;
2. A service provider;
3. A reablement or rehabilitation service.

When notifying others you should explain:

1. The outcome of the DFG application; and
2. When the DFG application was approved, what the next steps and proposed timeframes for carrying out the adaptation are; or
3. When the DFG application is not approved, any on-going role that the Occupational Therapy service will have (for example exploring whether needs can be met through equipment or minor works).

2. Arranging the Adaptation

The responsibility of the Housing Authority

It is the responsibility of the Housing Authority to make all arrangements to carry out the adaptation. This includes:

1. Gathering any further information required before arranging for the adaptation (from the person or from the Local Authority);
2. Carrying out any financial means-testing;
3. Providing information and advice to the person and answer any questions they have about the process of carrying out the adaptation;
4. Agreeing a suitable time to begin the adaptation;
5. Carrying out the adaptation through an approved contractor; and
6. Notifying the Local Authority if any additional Care and Support is required during any time that works are carried out.

The role of the Local Authority

The Local Authority should:

1. Monitor progress of the adaptation as required;
2. Notify the Housing Authority if they become aware of any change in circumstance or need that may impact on the appropriateness of the adaptation.

Monitoring could include:

1. E-mail contact with the named contact at the Housing Authority;
2. Telephone contact with the person or carer.

Proportionate records should be made of all monitoring activity.

If you are concerned about the time it is taking to carry out the adaptation you should discuss your concerns and agree any action with your line manager.

Urgent and Interim Support

If an adaptation is delayed or not progressing as intended you must consider whether:

1. There is appropriate support in place to meet the needs identified during assessment in the interim (either though a carer or an existing Care and Support Plan); and
2. If not, the steps that need to be taken to ensure any urgent needs are met.

If a practitioner from a an appropriate service is already involved with the person you should:

1. Inform them that the adaptation has been delayed and that the person appears to have unmet urgent needs;
2. Advise them of a possible timeframe for the adaptation to be completed; and
3. Provide them with access to any information gathered through assessment so they can prioritise and consider the most appropriate course of action.

If the person is not known to an appropriate service you will need to make the relevant referral.

3. When the Application is not Approved

Any decision made about next steps should be made with regard to:

1. The views of the person about what the next steps should be;
2. The views of any carer; and
3. The impact of any decision/action on the person's Wellbeing.

If the person intends to proceed to arrange for the adaptation to be carried out using their own financial resource you must provide them with good information and advice about:

1. Available contractors that can carry out the required adaptation;
2. Specialist advice sources that may be beneficial to them (for example financial advice experts);
3. Other options that may be appropriate, such as equipment solutions (subject to an eligibility determination under the Care Act).

If the person wishes to arrange for the adaptation to be carried out it is their responsibility to make the arrangements to do so (with support of their informal networks as required). The Local Authority only has a duty to meet needs that have been determined eligible under the Care Act, not the HGCRA.

If the person wishes to explore other ways to meet their needs you must establish eligibility under the Care Act, unless it is likely that those needs are to be met through a prevention service.

See: Understanding and Applying Eligibility Criteria.

Until eligibility under the Care Act has been determined conversations about ways to meet needs should always be:

1. Strengths based to promote independence and resilience; and
2. Broad rather than specific.