If you have a disability Dover District Council can provide qualifying tenants certain adaptations to help them remain independent in their home and enjoy a good quality of life.
Do you qualify for disabled adaptations?
First of all you will need to contact the Occupational Therapists who will assess your medical needs during a home visit which will be used to make a referral to Dover District Council for adaptation work to happen.
How to contact Occupational Therapists :
- For adult services (Over 18’s) call 03000 416161
- For children services (Under 18’s) call 03000 411111
- For minor adaptations (hand or grab rails) email social.services@kent.gov.uk
Once we receive a recommendation from your Occupational Therapist we will consider the request. It's important to get in contact with the Occupational Therapists as soon as possible, so you can be visited and a referral can be made.
Occupational Therapist to apply using this form: Blank OT form_ddc
How Dover District Council decide if work can be done
We consult our Disabled Adaptations Policy to decide if the work qualifies or not. Please note, there are times when we may not be able to carry out adaptation work to your home, these include:
- Under-occupancy – when a person (s) may be living in a home with more bedrooms than they need.
- Overcrowding - when a person (s) is living living in a home which doesn't not have enough bedrooms for the people who live there
- Tenancy Termination – if your tenancy is due to end because of rent arrears, potential transfer to another property, or you have applied for Right to Buy
- Unsuitability of property – the works required may not be suitable to the type of property you live in. This can be because of the property's location, layout, construction type for example.
If we refuse a request for adaptations we will advise you of the reasons why and suggest alternative solutions, or recommend you find more suitable accommodation to meet your medical needs.
What happens next?
If we approve the adaptations they fall into two categories:
1. Minor Works
- Grabrails and handrails
- Lever taps
These works are generally straightforward and will be dealt with immediately.
2. Major Works
- Bathroom adaptations – flush floor showers, over bath showers
- Ramps
- Stairlifts
These major works need to be inspected, planned and placed on the waiting list to be carried out. We have a waiting list due to the increasing number of tenants who need major adaptations in their home.
Thinking of getting a mobility scooter?
Please be aware that we are unable to provide storage, ramping or charging points for mobility scooters. You should take this into consideration before you purchase one.
Contacting the adaptations team at Dover District Council:
- Please email the team or call 01304 821 199
- Write to: Property Services, Housing Assets Team, Dover District Council, White Cliffs Business Park, Whitfield, Dover, CT16 3PJ
Other useful contacts
Haven’t found what you’re looking for? Please contact us on tenantinvolvement@dover.gov.uk if you think we have missed information or tell us how we can improve this page.