Housing Grants

Mid Beds District Council offers two types of housing grant:

'Mandatory' (i.e. the Council in general has to give a grant if a valid application is received) Disabled Facilities Grants
'Discretionary' (i.e. it is entirely at the Councils' discretion as to whether it gives a grant or not) Home Improvement Grants.
and offers the services of it's Home Improvement Agency for both types of grant (see page navigation on the left).

Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants

Mandatory Disabled Facilities Grants are available to all owner-occupiers, tenants or landlords provided that the need is justified by an Occupational Therapist. For this we will need a report from an Occupational Therapist employed by Beds County Council Social Services, (contact either 01234 228211 or 01234 228430). The maximum grant available is £25,000.

The sort of works covered by this type of grant may include:

  • aiding entry and exit from people's homes, e.g. widening doorways and providing ramps;
  • aiding access into living areas, bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms by installing stairlifts, level access showers or providing downstairs bathrooms;
  • improving or providing heating or light controls;
  • improving access for any disabled person who is responsible for the care of a child or spouse;               


Means Test

All applications are subject to a 'Means Test' which identifies whether or not they are required to contribute towards the cost of works. For owner-occupiers and tenants this is based on their level of income, savings and benefit entitlement. For Landlords it is based on any potential increase in the rental income for the property in question as a result of grant works being carried out.


Home Improvement Grants

These are small and relatively simple grants limited to a maximum of £10,000 per application. They are available to owner-occupiers and private sector tenants for a wide range of repair and improvement works, including:

  • Central heating system repairs/replacements/upgrades;
  • Dampness;
  • Drainage defects;
  • Rewiring;
  • General disrepair;
  • Providing missing bathroom and kitchen facilities;
  • Works to remedy serious defects causing Category 1 Hazards under the Housing, Health and Safety Rating System (HHSRS);
  • Where one or more of the above applies, then grants may be available incertain circumstances for modernising old bathroom or kitchen facilities;              


Applications are prioritised according to a prioritisation system (see below)


Home Improvement Grants Prioritisation System

In order to determine which potential applications are able to proceed, all potential applicants are given a points rating. Points are awarded depending on the age of the applicant (with more points being awarded for the more elderly) and whether they are disabled and/or infirm and/or seriously ill, in receipt of income-related benefits and whether they have any young children (more points being awarded in all cases). Points are also awarded depending on the type and severity of defect and it's effect on the occupant's health. The two sets of points are added together to give an overall score. Provided a potential applicant's points rating is above a certain threshold their application will proceed. 

Means Test

All applications are subject to a 'Means Test' which identifies whether or not they are required to contribute towards the cost of works. For owner-occupiers and tenants this is based on their level of income, savings and benefit entitlement.

Grant aid may also be available to landlords in certain circumstances and also as part of our Empty Homes Strategy.

Home Improvement Grants and Disabled Facilities grants are also available to the owners of Mobile Homes in certain circumstances.

An online form is available for Cavity Wall and Loft Insulation Grants.   

An online form is available for completion of the Application for Home Improvement Grant.

Alternatively, if you would simply like to make an enquiry using an on-line form then please click here . By taking a look at the on-line application form above you will get an idea as to the type of information that you could provide on this enquiry form in order to help us assist you.

For information on renewable energy and the associated grant scheme please see our Renewable Energy Webpage.

If you wish to contact us our telephone numbers are 08452-304040 and 01462 611 222. Alternatively, you can email us at  Customer.Services@midbeds.gov.uk       

Useful Links

Bedfordshire & Luton Voluntary & Community Sector Voluntary Works Directory

Linked documents:

* Download Mid Beds DC Private Sector Housing Strategy (application/pdf; 589kb)

* Download Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for Housing Grants (application/pdf; 67kb)

* Download DFG advert (application/pdf; 110kb)

* Download HIG advert (application/pdf; 192kb)