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RBKC Equipment and Adaptations Services

Understanding Our Services: Equipment Provisions and Adaptations Processes

Welcome to Our Service

Our goal is to enhance your independence and wellbeing through accessible equipment and home adaptations. This guide explains our services to help you understand the process, manage expectations, and make referrals when needed.

Our Services: At a Glance

We provide a range of services to support independent living:

  • Simple Aids to Daily Living: Basic equipment that helps you manage everyday tasks with more ease.
  • Minor Adaptations: Small modifications to your home for increased safety and accessibility.
  • Major Adaptations: Larger home modifications for those with more complex needs, funded through the Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG).

Each service begins with an assessment to determine what support best suits your needs. Based on this assessment, we will recommend the appropriate equipment or adaptations, and our team will guide you through the process.

Equipment Provision Process

If you face challenges with daily tasks like washing, dressing, cooking, or moving around your home, "simple aids to daily living" may help. These aids are designed to make your life easier and help you stay independent in your own home.

Types of Equipment Provided:

  • Raised toilet seats
  • Bath boards and grab rails
  • Doorline ramps
  • Other equipment designed to improve safety and ease in daily activities

How to Get Equipment:

  1. Self-Purchase: Many simple aids to daily living are available from high street shops or accredited retailers, and you do not need an assessment to purchase them. For free, impartial advice on equipment and gadgets that may help, you can consult Living Made Easy.
  2. Through Our OT Services or Qualified Practitioners:
    • If your needs are more complex, an assessment with our team may be necessary. If the assessment determines that specific equipment is essential, we will order it through our supplier, NRS. NRS will deliver the equipment to your home and provide ongoing maintenance or repairs.
    • Who Provides Assessments?
      • CIS Reablement or Trusted Assessors (Independent Living Assessors): These assessors are trained to recommend basic equipment and minor adaptations.
      • OT Complex Team: For more complex equipment or cases where adaptations may be necessary, an OT from this team will perform the assessment.

Our approach is to consider equipment first, then minor adaptations, and finally major adaptations. In some situations, an adaptation may not be a long-term solution, and we may recommend exploring rehousing options through your Housing Association or the Council’s Housing Solutions team. This will require a separate application.

Minor Adaptations

Minor adaptations are small changes made to your home to help you move around more safely and easily. These adaptations are particularly helpful in promoting greater independence and prevent falls.

Examples of Minor Adaptations:

  • Grab rails installed in bathrooms or near stairs
  • Small ramps for doorways
  • Stair rails and other supportive railings

How the Process Works:

  1. Assessment: Our Reablement/OT Complex Team will assess your needs and recommend the appropriate adaptations. If you haven’t trialled equipment before, our Reablement team will be your first point of contact and will consider if equipment options or minor adaptations will meet your needs. If the equipment doesn’t fully meet your needs, they may then refer your case to the OT Complex Team for further assessment and exploration of additional solutions.
  2. Coordination with Landlords:
    • If Your Property is Council-Owned or Managed by a Housing Association: After the assessment, your OT or Adult Social Care professional will refer your case to your landlord or the Council’s Aids and Adaptations team. They will be responsible for arranging and completing the adaptation work.
    • If You Own Your Home or Rent Privately: We’ll explore if you or your landlord can arrange for the adaptation. If that’s not possible, we may assist by coordinating the work with our supplier, NRS, to ensure it’s completed to meet your needs.

Major Adaptations

Major adaptations involve significant modifications to your home, designed to meet complex needs. These changes are funded through a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG), which can help cover the cost of necessary adjustments.

Examples of Major Adaptations:

  • Stairlifts
  • Wet floor showers or accessible bathrooms
  • Ceiling track hoists for mobility support
  • Widened doorways for wheelchair access

Process Overview:

  1. Assessment and Recommendations: An OT will visit your home to evaluate your needs and discuss potential adaptations. Major adaptations are considered only when simpler solutions like equipment or minor adaptations do not address the issue. The OT will review the recommended adaptations with their line manager and may present the case to the OT Major Adaptations Panel to ensure the recommended adaptation will meet the assessed need and is reasonable and practical. If the recommendation is approved, the case will be passed to Housing Adaptations to progress the next stages.
  2. Funding Options:
    • Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG): This grant is available for eligible residents and is means-tested. A financial assessment will determine eligibility based on income and savings. If you have savings above £23,000, you may not qualify for DFG funding and may consider arranging adaptations privately.
    • Private Arrangements: If you choose to arrange adaptations privately, you can search for accredited home improvement agencies through Foundations, the national body for home improvement agencies in England. Foundations can connect you with trusted professionals who specialise in safe, quality adaptations.
  3. Financial Assessment: Major adaptations are typically funded through a DFG, which requires a financial assessment (means test) to determine eligibility. This assessment will review income and savings to calculate the contribution (if any) you may need to make. Your OT will guide you through this process before referring your case to Housing for further evaluation.
  4. Housing Feasibility and Final Approval: After the financial assessment, Housing will review the feasibility of the proposed adaptation. They have the final decision, based on the results of the feasibility study, grant considerations, and the landlord approval.
  5. Carrying Out the Work: Once all approvals are in place, the Housing Adaptations Team or Housing Association will coordinate the adaptation work.
  6. Completion and Follow-Up: After the adaptation work is complete, Housing surveyors will conduct a post-installation check to make sure everything is as recommended by OT. A follow-up visit from OT may be required if there are any issues.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, need further information, or would like to discuss your needs, please feel free to reach out to us:

For information about local activities and services to help you stay independent, visit www.peoplefirstinfo.org.uk.

Feedback and Further Help

We welcome feedback on how we might improve our services. If you would like to make a comment, compliment or complaint, please contact:

Customer Engagement Team
Westminster City Hall,
64 Victoria Street, London SW1E 6QP
Telephone: 0800 587 0072
Email: ASCCustomerEngagment@rbkc.gov.uk

Sensory impairment team, Town Hall, Hornton Street, London W8 7NX
Telephone social services: 020 7361 3013
Voicemail: 020 7361 2968
Minicom: 020 7937 7232
Email: sensoryteam@rbkc.gov.uk

Last updated: 10/01/2025
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