UK Government Confirms £723 Million for Home Adaptations as Councils Push for Higher Accessibility Standards

The government has ring-fenced £723 million for the Disabled Facilities Grant in 2026 to 2027, shared out under a new needs-based formula. The maximum grant stays at £30,000.

What Has the Government Announced?

The UK Government has confirmed its Better Care Fund (BCF) framework for 2026 to 2027. It sets out how £9.15 billion will be spent on integrated health and social care services across England.

If you’re considering a stairlift or home adaptation, the figure that matters most is £723 million ring-fenced for the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG). The DFG is the primary source of government funding for stairlift installations in the UK.

The Department of Health and Social Care published the framework alongside the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. It marks the start of a broader reform programme to shift care from hospitals into local communities. There’s a strong emphasis on helping people stay independent at home for longer.

Two other developments are shaping accessible housing in the UK alongside this funding settlement. One is a new formula for distributing DFG funding to local councils. The other is a growing push from local authorities for more ambitious accessible housing targets in new-build developments.

A New Formula for Distributing DFG Funding

For the first time in over a decade, the way councils receive their share of DFG funding has changed. The previous allocation model had been in place since 2011 and no longer reflected where the greatest need actually exists.

After a public consultation, the government has brought in a modernised, needs-based formula with six data-driven components. The first three are the number of disabled adults in each area, the population of older non-disabled residents aged 65 and above, and local income deprivation scores.

The other three are the prevalence of disabled children, the proportion of homes outside a council’s own housing stock, and a regional building-cost index to account for geographic price differences.

The intention is to align funding more closely with actual local need. Areas with higher concentrations of older or disabled residents, greater deprivation, or more expensive building costs should receive a fairer share of the overall pot. Transitional protections are in place so that no council receives less funding than it did in June 2025, giving local authorities time to adjust.

If you’re a homeowner or tenant thinking about applying for DFG funding towards a stairlift, the practical impact depends on where you live.

If your local authority has historically been underfunded relative to demand, waiting times may improve and more applications could be approved. Councils in areas with ageing populations and high levels of disability are expected to benefit most.

On the other hand, some councils that previously received a larger share may see their allocation stabilise or gradually reduce over time.

The £30,000 Grant Cap Stays Put

One area where the consultation did not deliver change is the maximum grant limit. Despite strong calls from local authorities, housing organisations, and disability groups to raise the cap, the government has kept it at £30,000 for now. Its February 2026 consultation response says it has reviewed the upper limit and is “currently considering the right approach for the future”. Propertymark, reporting on the consultation outcome (20 February 2026), puts the average high-value adaptation claim at around £46,000 for adults, while children’s adaptations average closer to £58,000, meaning many families still face a significant funding gap for complex work.

Some councils publish local housing assistance policies that allow them to top up grants beyond the £30,000 limit or waive means testing for lower-cost adaptations like grab rails. However, the financial capacity of councils to do this varies enormously.

For those seeking a stairlift specifically, the good news is that most standard installations fall well within the grant limit. Typical UK prices on our price index range from around £1,500 to £3,500 for a straight stairlift, and £4,000 to £7,000 or more for curved models. Even with survey costs and any building work, most stairlift installations can be fully covered by a DFG where the applicant qualifies.

Councils Push for Higher Accessible Housing Targets

While the DFG helps people adapt existing homes, the debate over new-build accessibility is equally significant. More than 20 local authorities have told the government that its proposed minimum target for accessible new housing is not ambitious enough.

The issue centres on the M4(2) standard within England’s Building Regulations, which requires features such as step-free access at entrance level, wider doorways and corridors, and layouts designed so that homes can be adapted easily over time. The government consulted on a new policy that would set a national floor of 40 per cent M4(2) compliance for new housing developments. The final National Planning Policy Framework, published on 17 August 2026, kept that floor: at least 40 per cent of homes in major developments must meet the M4(2) accessible and adaptable standard.

A survey carried out by the Centre for Ageing Better found that councils overwhelmingly agreed this target could be raised. Freedom of Information requests revealed that some local authorities are already far exceeding 40 per cent. Bassetlaw District Council, for example, achieved 90 per cent M4(2) compliance across more than 1,000 homes built between 2022 and 2025. Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council has adopted a development plan requiring 95 per cent compliance for new major residential developments.

The Housing Made for Everyone (HoME) Coalition, co-chaired by the Centre for Ageing Better and Habinteg Housing Association, is calling on the government to raise the minimum. Their concern is that a low floor will create a postcode lottery, with some areas building far more accessible homes than others. Polling carried out on their behalf found that more than three in four people think all new homes should be built to a standard that allows people to live independently as they age or if they become disabled.

Why This Matters for Homeowners and Families

Research by the Centre for Ageing Better found that around 12 million people in England do not have their accessibility needs met by the property they live in. Only around one in eight homes in England (13 per cent) have all four basic accessibility features that make a home visitable for most people.

For older homeowners, these figures translate into real, daily challenges. A home without step-free access, without wide enough doorways for a walking frame, or without a ground-floor bathroom can become unsafe as mobility changes. Falls are one of the most serious risks, with around a third of people aged 65 and over experiencing at least one fall per year. Many of these falls happen at home, and poor housing design is a contributing factor.

The government’s broader strategic direction is encouraging. The 10 Year Health Plan for England sets out an ambition to build “neighbourhood health services” that bring care closer to where people live, rather than relying on hospitals.

The BCF framework specifically asks local health bodies to review and expand home-based intermediate care, ensuring that people receive the right support to recover at home rather than being admitted to residential care. A well-timed stairlift installation can be the difference between an older person safely returning home after a fall and a preventable admission to a care home.

What You Can Do Now

If you or a family member are finding it difficult to move around your home safely, there are practical steps you can take rather than waiting for new housing standards or funding reforms to take effect.

Contact your local council’s housing or adult social care team to request a DFG assessment. You do not need a referral from your GP, though your GP can support your application. Ask your council whether they have a local housing assistance policy that offers additional support beyond the standard DFG.

The application process starts with a needs assessment, usually carried out by an occupational therapist arranged through your local council. Adults are means-tested, but children under 19 are not. Councils are required to make a decision on a properly completed application within six months.

If you are recovering from a hospital stay or fall, ask about intermediate care and reablement services. These short-term programmes are designed to help you regain independence, and they may include an assessment of whether home adaptations such as a stairlift would support your recovery.

For those considering a stairlift, comparing options from different stairlift companies is a sensible first step. For a full guide to applying for a stairlift grant through the DFG, visit our stairlift grants page.

The push for better-funded adaptations and more accessible new homes is encouraging. But for millions of people already living in properties that do not meet their needs, practical home adaptations remain the most immediate route to safer, more independent living.

Prefer to watch? Our video guide covers the key points: