Housing · England
Help with equipment and your home
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This guide is for children and adults in England.
An occupational therapist helps with everyday activities.
Tell the therapist what you want to do.
Explain what is difficult and what already helps.
An occupational therapist can help with hobbies and daily routines.
They can explore things that make activities difficult.
Ask your council about a home assessment.
You can also ask your health team about occupational therapy.
Changes to your home might help.
Equipment might also make activities easier.
Ask someone you trust to join the assessment.
Ask for information you can understand.
Some equipment and small changes can be free.
Larger changes may need a grant.
A grant is money towards approved work.
Ask what funding rules apply to you.
Check approval before building work starts.
Ask someone to show you how to use equipment safely.
Find out who repairs it.
Tell your team if equipment hurts or stops helping.
Your needs may change.
What you can do next
Explain what you want help to do.
Ask who can assess equipment and changes to your home.
Ask for an assessment Web pageThis link opens another website.
It may use harder words.
More useful links
- NHS: occupational therapy Web pageVideo
Support with everyday activities, access and referral routes.
- NHS: home adaptations Web page
Home assessments, adaptations and possible funding routes.
- GOV.UK: Disabled Facilities Grant eligibility Web page
Who can apply and how necessary, appropriate and practical work is considered.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Occupational therapy, equipment and home adaptations
Ask for help with everyday activities, suitable equipment and changes to your home.
Children and adults · England · Assessment and funding rules vary
Start with everyday activities
Occupational therapy helps people take part in everyday life. Explain what you want to do at home, school, work or in the community, and what gets in the way. This may include washing, dressing, preparing food, moving around, using equipment or managing sensory demands. Your own goals should guide the assessment.
Occupational therapy is wider than equipment
An OT can also explore motivation, routines, practical skills and sensory demands that affect participation. Goals may include preparing a snack, enjoying a hobby or getting through a college day with less distress. Ask for assessment where the activity actually happens, if appropriate. Support might involve changing the task, environment or way someone helps. Agree how to tell whether the approach improves the person’s daily life.
Ask for the right assessment
Ask your GP, health team or council how to access occupational therapy. For home adaptations, contact the council for a home assessment. Explain learning disability, communication and access needs when booking. You can ask someone you trust to attend. Routes differ for children, adults and specialist health equipment.
Explore equipment and changes
An assessment may suggest a different way of doing an activity, training, equipment or changes such as rails, ramps or a bathroom adaptation. Discuss whether proposed equipment fits your body, home and daily routine. Ask about trying it where possible. Wheelchairs, communication aids and specialist seating may need additional assessment routes.
Check how payment works
Some assessed equipment and minor adaptations can be provided free. Larger adaptations may involve a Disabled Facilities Grant or another funding route. A grant is not automatic: the council considers whether the work is necessary, appropriate, reasonable and practical. Tenants may need their landlord’s agreement. Ask for the decision and reasons in writing.
Understand grant conditions
Adult Disabled Facilities Grant applications usually involve a financial assessment. Parents’ income is not assessed for a grant for a disabled child under 18. Other conditions still apply. Do not begin grant-funded work before approval without checking the consequences with the council. Ask who will arrange designs, contractors, permissions and any contribution.
Plan safe use and maintenance
Ask who will fit the equipment, show everyone how to use it and arrange servicing, repairs or replacement. Hoists and other specialist equipment need an individual plan and appropriate training. Report discomfort, unsafe use or changing needs promptly. Request a review if the solution stops helping; do not make unassessed modifications yourself.
Different OT services have different roles
A community learning disability OT may focus on participation and sensory or daily living needs. A council OT may assess home adaptations. Hospital, children’s and mental health services may have other teams. Do not assume one referral covers them all. Ask which team will take responsibility for each need and how they will coordinate with physiotherapy, speech and language therapy or wheelchair services.
Words you could use
“Please assess the activities I want to do, my access needs and possible equipment or adaptations. Please explain funding and maintenance.”
More useful links
- NHS: occupational therapy Web pageVideo
Support with everyday activities, access and referral routes.
- NHS: home adaptations Web page
Home assessments, adaptations and possible funding routes.
- GOV.UK: Disabled Facilities Grant eligibility Web page
Who can apply and how necessary, appropriate and practical work is considered.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
Where the information comes from
Links checked 1 November 2026.
These links open other websites.
They may use harder words.
- NHS: occupational therapy Web pageVideo
Support with everyday activities, access and referral routes.
- NHS: home adaptations Web page
Home assessments, adaptations and possible funding routes.
- GOV.UK: Disabled Facilities Grant eligibility Web page
Who can apply and how necessary, appropriate and practical work is considered.
- GOV.UK: Disabled Facilities Grants and contributions Web page
Financial assessment and the different rules for disabled children under 18.
- GOV.UK: Disabled Facilities Grant delivery guidance Web page
Assessment, delivery and arrangements for maintaining installed equipment in England.
- Royal College of Occupational Therapists: Leading fulfilled lives PDF
Assessment in everyday environments, meaningful activities, skills and sensory needs.
- Surrey and Borders Partnership NHS: community learning disability teams Web page
An England example of different professional roles, referral criteria and specialist service limits. Local arrangements differ.