Living with a disability — be it sensory, cognitive or mobility-related — is a challenge. As such, the law mandates all buildings to have modifications that suit the needs of people with disabilities. Other than public buildings, your home should also be modified accordingly when necessary.
Modifying a private residence to suit the needs of a person with disability, however, costs a lot of time and money. Thankfully, the government now has housing grants you can access through services such as wasatchpeaks.com, making modifying your space possible.
The regulations for this type of housing grant were set in 2007 and amended in 2014. Approval is prioritized based on your medical need. Here are the three priority levels of the grant.
Priority 1
This level includes people who are terminally ill or wholly dependent on caregivers. The alterations you intend to make to your house with the grant should facilitate your hospital or nursing home discharge and minimize future hospitalization. They should hence make your home as comfortable as possible to accommodate your condition.
Priority 2
This level comprises people with no mobility issues but need some assistance with activities of daily living. These include washing and using the bathroom, among others. Priority 2 also includes those who, without modifications to their living space, cannot function independently.
Priority 3
This level includes independent people who need modifications to improve their life’s quality. These range from separate living spaces, bedrooms and bathrooms and so forth. Sometimes, the grant also covers heating equipment.
Housing grants for the disabled includes those with private rented accommodation, owner-occupied houses and houses purchased from local authorities under the tenant purchase plan. If you own your home, the local authorities will first certify that it is your primary residence. If you are renting, your landlord might require you to ask for approval.
