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Adapting your home to work for you

You may be able to make adaptations to continue living independently at home for longer. Find out what you can do and how to arrange it.
Wheelchair user at home with his dog

What are home adaptations? 

Adapting your home means making changes to help you manage everyday tasks and stay independent.

Simple adaptations

Older person using grabrail at home
Some adaptations are relatively simple changes to your home.

Many of these simple adaptations cost less than £1,000 and be installed relatively quickly. 

Examples of simpler home adaptations include: 

  • grab rails around the bath, shower, toilet or elsewhere
  • additional stair rails
  • small steps to doors

Major changes

Women using a stairlift
Other adaptations are major changes to your home.

Examples of these adaptations include: 

  • level access showers or wet rooms
  • stairlifts or through-floor lifts
  • wheelchair ramps
  • widening doorways

Major changes to your home should be carefully researched and planned.

If you live in a rented property, you'll need to get your landlord's permission to make changes.

Paying for home adaptations

You and your family may be able to pay for the adaptations you need privately. 

Arranging adaptations yourself may be quicker and give you more choice and control.

You can search for home adaptation services on our Suffolk InfoLink website.

Find tradespeople near you:

Suffolk County Council may be able to help if you're not sure what to buy or need financial support. However, there will be limits to what we can do.

Age UK has information about financial and practical support for home improvement and repairs (PDF, 552KB). 

Funding larger adaptations 

Some charities will be able to give you more information around funding larger adaptations, for example:

Disabled Facilities Grant

You may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant if you're disabled or have a long-term health condition and need to make changes to your home.

This grant could be used to: 

  • widen doors and install ramps
  • improve access to rooms and facilities - such as stairlifts or a downstairs bathroom
  • provide a heating system suitable for your needs
  • adapt heating or lighting controls to make them easier to use

Equipment and technology

You can find out more about: 

If you have more complex needs

You may need help beyond equipment, technology or adaptations to your home, such as social care support.

If you think you need more support, the first step is to self-assess your care and support needs.

The result of the self-assessment will tell you:

  • if you'd benefit from a full assessment of your needs
  • how to request social care support

Depending on your situation, you may be entitled to a care and support assessment from the council. This would tell us how we could best support you to live as healthily, independently and safely as possible.