Adult Social Care Glossary, v 0.6

B61. The housing authority must be satisfied that the relevant works are necessary and appropriate to meet the needs of the disabled person (section 24(3)(a)). For district councils this must include consulting the social services authority.

B62. DFGs are designed to give disabled people a degree of independence in the home and should aim to meet current and anticipated future needs. If the disabled person has care needs, the impact of adaptations on the level of this care should be considered including whether tasks will be reduced or eased. Adaptation works will not achieve their objective if the disabled person does not gain an acceptable degree of independence, or where the disabled person remains dependent upon the care of others and the adaptation does not significantly ease the burden of the carer.

B65. To reduce the risk of installing inappropriate adaptations and to ensure consistency of practice, this guidance provides a set of written principles to assist professionals involved in the complex process of identifying what works are necessary and appropriate (see 4.44).