Aids and Adaptions Policy
Caring for you
We want to help you to live independently in your home. If you are having trouble moving around, perhaps finding it difficult to climb stairs, get in and out of the bath or need wheelchair access, then it may be possible for us to adapt your home to better suit your needs by providing aids like hand and grab rails or ramps.
Initially, your needs are assessed by the Occupational Therapy Section of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.
We can help you contact them or you can contact them directly:
London Borough of Tower Hamlets Occupational therapy early intervention team, on 020 7364 5948 or 020 7364 5945
The service is open from 9am – 5pm Monday to Friday
We can also help you to contact the Occupational Therapy service by email or by post:
E-mail: occupationaltherapy@towerhamlets.gov.uk
Alternatively, the Occupational Therapy service can be accessed through your GPs surgery.
The Occupational Therapist will carry out an assessment to decide what works need to be done. If you feel that they may be able to help you, they would initially complete an assessment of your needs, either on the phone or by visiting you at home. They will send a report to us with their recommendations for work needed. This may include improving safety with ‘minor adaptations’ like stair and grab rails, improving access to your home by using ramps and widening doors or installing a stair-lift, or by employing ‘major adaptation’ options such as adapting your kitchen or bathroom. Many minor adaptations can be completed within 28 days.
The responsibility for providing these adaptations may depend on who owns your property. We can advise you about this if adaptations are needed. All but a very limited number of adaptations are paid for by us and do not incur a rent increase.
In addition to the above, the Occupational Therapy Service and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets operate the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) scheme. This is a Government grant intended to fund major works specifically for registered disabled persons, and will cover the cost of providing works such as level access showers, stair lifts and specialist equipment. We will progress a DFG application on your behalf to assess your needs and suitability for a grant.
If your kitchen and bathroom is scheduled for Decent Homes refurbishment work, we will provide tailored adaptations as part of the work scheduled. If your kitchen and bathroom is scheduled to be included in the future, but is not being immediately progressed due to an outstanding DFG, we will endeavour to fast track the required adaptations and fund the work in the first instance through the regeneration budget.
For information about any of the above, please contact:
John Hinds, Technical Services Manager on 020 8880 7825.
In Summary:
- WE can help you to request an assessment of needs, which is carried out by a London Borough of Tower Hamlets Occupational Therapist.
- WE will help you to claim a grant from the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to pay for any adaptations needed. (for most minor works a grant isn’t required).
- WE will help you liaise with the Occupational Therapist.
- WE will project manage the alterations/installation.
- WE will use our experienced builders to do the work.
- WE will make sure that YOU are satisfied with the work that we’ve done.
- WE will welcome your feedback on how we are providing and monitoring the aids and adaptation service.
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