Disabled Facilities Grants completed in England rose from 47,854 in 2018/19 to 58,606 in 2023/24. Councils’ own returns put the average DFG at 247 working days from start to finish in 2023/24 (Foundations). A straightforward stairlift can be quicker, but times vary widely between councils.
Analysis of Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) funding, completions and delivery times in England, from MHCLG allocations and Foundations’ analysis of councils’ DELTA returns.
Approval rates describe councils, not applicants. Whether your own case is likely to succeed is a separate question, and the stairlift grant checker takes you through it.
National DFG Overview
The Disabled Facilities Grant is a mandatory, means-tested grant administered by local housing authorities in England. It funds home adaptations, including stairlifts, for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions. The grant covers works up to a maximum of £30,000 per application in England, with different limits in Wales (£36,000) and Northern Ireland (£35,000). Scotland operates a separate scheme through local authority grants and loans.
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DFG Funding Trend
| Financial Year | National Allocation | DFGs Completed | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018/19 | £505M | 47,854 | Baseline period |
| 2019/20 | £505M | 44,264 | -7.5% completions (pre-COVID slowdown) |
| 2020/21 | £573M | 36,882 | -16.7% completions (COVID disruption) |
| 2021/22 | £573M | 44,619 | +21.0% completions (recovery) |
| 2022/23 | £573M | 52,483 | +17.6% completions |
| 2023/24 | £623M | 58,606 | +11.7% completions |
| 2024/25 | £711M | Not yet published | Allocation up after an £86M in-year uplift |
| 2025/26 | £711M, reaching £761M after an in-year uplift | Not yet published | Uplift announced January 2026 |
| 2026/27 | £723M | Not yet published | Below the topped-up 2025/26 total |
Allocations are taken from the MHCLG and DLUHC grant determination letters published by Foundations. They also draw on the Better Care Fund policy framework 2025 to 2026 and the 2026 to 2027 framework. All were checked on 3 September 2026.
Our grant limits fact-check sets out the year-by-year working. Completion figures come from Foundations’ analysis of councils’ DELTA returns; the 2024/25 and 2025/26 counts are not yet published.
Council-level funding, the grant limit and national delivery times are now merged into one sortable table: Disabled Facilities Grant by council.
Application Process & Timeline
The typical DFG application journey involves several stages. For stairlift installations, the process is generally faster than for major building works, as stairlifts are classified as a straightforward adaptation.
| Stage | Typical Duration | What Happens |
|---|---|---|
| Initial enquiry | 1 – 2 weeks | Contact council housing team or social services, referral made |
| OT assessment | 2 – 8 weeks | Occupational therapist visits to assess needs (longest variable) |
| Means test | 2 – 4 weeks | Financial assessment of household income and savings |
| Approval | 1 – 2 weeks | Grant formally approved by council |
| Quotes & contractor | 1 – 3 weeks | Stairlift quotes obtained, contractor appointed |
| Installation | 1 – 2 days | Stairlift fitted (straight lifts often same-day) |
Average time for a DFG from start to finish: 247 working days in 2023/24, against a best-practice target of 155 (Foundations). A straightforward stairlift can be quicker. Complex cases or councils with backlogs may take longer.
Deferral & Repayment Conditions
Local authorities may place a charge on the property for grants above £5,000 if the applicant is a homeowner. This charge may be repayable if the property is sold within 10 years of the grant. Separately, a council whose budget is fully committed can defer payment for up to 12 months. Foundations found deferred grants were around 0.5% of approved DFGs in 2022/23. Tenants (private or social housing) are not subject to repayment conditions, though landlord consent is required for the adaptation.
Methodology & Data Sources
Data sources:
- DLUHC (Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities) official DFG statistics, published annually
- Foundations UK annual DFG reports and per-authority allocation tables
- Better Care Fund planning documents and allocations
- Local authority housing strategies and published DFG policies
Coverage: England only. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland operate separate adaptation grant schemes with different funding mechanisms and limits.
Limitations: Delivery times are national averages from councils’ own returns, and individual councils vary widely. Correction, 23 October 2026: we removed a grant-size table and a regional delivery-speed table from this page because neither had a published source, and we replaced an 8 to 16 week timeline with the official national average.
Update schedule: This page is reviewed when new DLUHC annual statistics are published (typically autumn each year) and when DFG allocation figures are announced.
Stairlift Guru, “UK Stairlift Grant Approval Rates by Council,” stairliftguru.co.uk/stairlift-grants/stairlift-grant-approval-rates/, accessed [date].
BibTeX:
@misc{stairliftguru_grantrates, title={UK Stairlift Grant Approval Rates by Council}, author={Stairlift Guru}, url={https://stairliftguru.co.uk/stairlift-grants/stairlift-grant-approval-rates/}}Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a DFG application take for a stairlift?
Councils’ own returns put the average DFG at 247 working days from start to finish in 2023/24. A straightforward stairlift can be quicker. The longest variable is usually the occupational therapy assessment, which can take 2 to 8 weeks depending on local authority waiting lists. The stairlift installation itself usually takes just 1 to 2 days.
What is the maximum DFG amount?
In England, the maximum mandatory DFG is £30,000 per application. In Wales the limit is £36,000, and in Northern Ireland it is £35,000. Some councils offer discretionary top-up funding beyond the mandatory maximum for complex cases.
Do I have to repay the DFG?
A local land charge may be placed on the property for owner-occupier grants above £5,000. This is potentially repayable (up to £10,000) if you sell the property within 10 years of the grant. Tenants are not subject to repayment conditions.
Does my income affect eligibility?
DFGs are means-tested for adults. The means test considers household income and savings. However, DFGs for disabled children (under 18) or young people (under 19 in education) are not means-tested. The means test formula is set nationally, though councils have some discretion in how they apply it.
Can I apply for a DFG if I rent my home?
Yes. Both private and social housing tenants can apply for a DFG. However, you will need your landlord’s written consent for the adaptation to be carried out. The landlord cannot unreasonably withhold consent, and the council can intervene if a landlord refuses without good reason.
Prefer to watch? Our video guide covers the key points:
Choosing a stairlift: our six guides
Independent UK guides on every stage of the decision and the install.
- Is it time for a stairlift? , The decision before you start. Signs, conversations, and what to try first.
- Types of stairlift , Straight, curved, narrow, outdoor, heavy-duty, standing. Which one fits your home.
- Stairlift prices , What stairlifts actually cost in the UK. By type, with what changes the price.
- Stairlift grants and funding , Disabled Facilities Grant, NHS, charity, finance. Who pays for what.
- Buy, rent, or reconditioned , The three routes compared, with a decision flowchart.
- Living with a stairlift , Install, servicing, repair, batteries, sell, remove. The full lifecycle.
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