Wicklow County Council is inviting applications for funding under the terms of the Housing Adaption Grants, Housing Aid for Older People Grants and Mobility Aid Grants.

Funding will be allocated to applicants on the basis of the following priorities:

• Priority One: Applicants who are terminally ill or mainly dependent on family or a carer, or where alterations/adaptations would facilitate the discharge from hospital or alleviate hospitalisation in the future
• Priority Two: Mobile but needs assistance in accessing facilities, or where, without the adaptation the disabled persons’ ability to function independently would be hindered
• Priority Three: The applicant is independent, but requires special facilities to improve their quality of life, eg separate bedroom or living space

Any queries please contact the Housing Office on (0404) 20120

Schedule of Standard Costs 2022   

To be applied to Mobility Aids Grants and Housing Adaptation Grants which are date stamped received by WCC 18th January or after.

Note:  invoices must be still be submitted and where the invoice amount is lower than the approved Standard Cost, only the invoice amount will be paid.

1.1  Bathroom conversion where the existing room size is adequate (adequacy will be determined by WCC). €7,818 This now exceeds the MAG maximum.

1.2  Extra over for enlarging bathroom by moving studded partition into adjacent bedroom where existing bathroom size is inadequate. €4,450 This will be done (with item 1.1 under a HAG).

2.1  Stairlift – straight. €2,800
 
2.2  Stairlift – curved.  €6,000 Also equals max MAG amount.

3.1  Through- floor lift.  €20,000
 
4.1  Ramp and handrails – concrete – against  wall.  €6,700
 
4.2  Ramp and handrails – concrete – away from  wall.  €7,560
 
4.3  Ramp and handrails – steel or aluminium. €7,500
 
5.1  Widening of internal door ope – studded partition. €1,495
 
5.2  Widening of internal door ope – masonry wall.  €2,065
 
6.1  New front door with level access threshold – 2000 mm wide with sidelight.  €3,880
 
6.2  New front door with level access threshold (no side light). €3,380
 
7  Bathroom and/or bedroom ground floor extension. €30,000. Equals max HAG amount

Housing Grants

Housing Adaptation Grants for Older People and People with a Disability Scheme 

We have 3 different Grants available.  The same application form is used for all 3 grants.

All 3 grants are Means Tested which means your annual household income (income of all the people living in the house) must be below certain limits to qualify.

Please Note: The Max amount of grant is subject to Means Test

• Mobility Aids Grant (MAG). Stairlifts, grab rails, Door widening, Max amount €6,000, Household income limit: Below €30,000 p.a.
   
• Housing Adaptation Grant (HAG), Bathroom adaptations, Bathroom/bedroom extensions, Ramps, Door widening, Max amount €30,000, Household income limit: Max grant if income below €30,000, no grant payable if income over €60,000 and sliding scale in between €30,000 and €60,000 – e.g. income of €45,000 = 50% grant.
   
• Housing Aid for Older People Grant (HOP), Essential Repairs, e.g. Roof repairs, Electrical re-wiring, Sanitary services, Replacement of rotten timber windows etc. NOTE: Upgrades of existing Double Glazed PVC windows will not be approved under the HOP Grant. Max amount €8,000, Household income limit: Max grant if income below €30,000, no grant payable if income over €60,000 and sliding scale in between €30,000 and €60,000 – e.g. income of €45,000 = 50% grant.

Do I need a Doctor’s Cert?

Grant Type:                                  Doctor’s Cert Required?
 
Mobility Aid Grant:                     Yes
 
Housing Adaptation Grant:      Yes
 
Housing Aid for Older People: No                              

A G.P. cert can be submitted in support, if the applicant has medical issues but is NOT MANDATORY.

Is there an Age Limit?

                                         Age Limit
MAG                                None
HAG                                 None
HOP                                 Yes – you must be at least 66 years of age when applying.

Occupational Therapists

Grant Type                                   
 
Mobility Aid Grant:                 OT Report required?:  Depends on nature of work involved.      

• Stairlifts require OT reports. No OT report required for steps, grab rails and door widening.

Housing Adaptation Grant:   OT Report required?:  Yes                                     

•   Due to increases in Standard Costs, most bathrooms (previously done under MAG)                will now fall under the HAG scheme and OT reports will

Housing Aid for Older People: OT Report required?: No                                 

• This is not a grant intended for disability or medical issues, so OT reports are not needed.

OT reports may be supplied by the Applicants themselves – e.g. if an applicant is receiving treatment in a hospital, the hospital’s OT may supply the report.

Private OTs may also be used by applicants if they wish. The cost of the OT report  up to a maximum of €250 will be included in the grant amount (but note that reduces the amount available to carry out the work by €250).

However, the majority of grant OT reports are done by OTs supplied by Wicklow County Council. The Council pays the OT directly in this case. The Council will decide if an OT report is required.

Who is responsible for finding a contractor or supplier?

• The applicant must engage a builder or supplier to do the work or supply a stairlift for example.

Who pays the Contractor?

• The grant applicant must find a contractor or supplier as appropriate and must pay them. Deposits etc are a matter between the applicant and the contractor/supplier. Grants are paid to the applicant on completion of the work and on satisfactory inspection by the Council.  Grants will not be paid if the work is not done in accordance with the standard specifications, the OT report and/or any other conditions stipulated in the grant approval letter.  The grant is paid electronically into the applicant’s bank account.

Can I claim VAT back?

• Applicants may claim back the VAT which they have paid to a contractor or supplier where it relates to works or supply of equipment in connection with disability. For this reason, grants are VAT exclusive. The Council will supply the applicant with the appropriate Revenue form so that the applicant may claim VAT back from the Revenue Commissioners but it is up to the applicant to pursue this with Revenue.

Tax Clearance Certificates

• All contractors and suppliers used by grant applicants must have Tax Clearance.
• Applicants also must have Tax Clearance when the grant amount paid to them in one year exceeds €10,000. It is up to the applicant to deal with this themselves. This point is often overlooked by applicants and will delay payment of the grant if Tax Clearance is not in order.

I don’t own the dwelling I’m living in – can I still get a grant?

• Yes. If you are living in a private rented dwelling (i.e. you pay rent to a private landlord) or a dwelling owned by an Approved Housing Body (e.g. Threshold, Respond, etc) you can apply for a grant.

Appliances

• Please note that the Council does not give grants for appliances (e.g. portable hoists) – the HSE should be contacted in relation to Appliances. Anything which is not part of the structure of the house or not bolted or screwed to it, is considered to be an appliance.

Delayed Discharges

• It is our policy to prioritise Delayed Discharges. This means any applicant who is currently occupying a hospital bed but whose treatment is now complete but cannot be discharged until appropriate adaptations are made in their home. If we are made aware of such cases, we will liaise with the hospital to facilitate rapid processing of the grant. In such cases the Hospital’s own OT department may supply a report and provide input into the required adaptations.