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Home adaptions
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As the topic varies greatly across Europe, you will find the information divided by country. You will find the information for your own country translated into your national language. By clicking on the country flag and selecting other country flags, you can also access the information for other European countries in English.
How to finance home adaptations?
This chapter explores essential support services on housing and accessibility for people with care needs and disabilities. Specifically, it focuses on three main services: a subsidised housing loan programme for people with disabilities, a subsidy for housing adaptations, and a social service offering support products for home modifications. These services aim to enhance housing accessibility, adaptability, and affordability for individuals with disabilities, ultimately improving their quality of life and fostering greater independence.
In the following overview, you will find different services, namely institutions and associations, through which you may explore financing options for home adaptations in Portugal.
Services: How to arrange and finance home solutions?
In the next section, you will find options for purchasing a house with a subsidy loan for people with disabilities, and other funding methods for home adaptations to accommodate an adult with care needs and disabilities.
Regime de crédito bonificado à habitação para pessoas com deficiência [Subsidized housing loan program for people with disabilities]
People with a degree of disability equal to or greater than 60%, can purchase, build, or renovate their permanent residence with financing at a reduced interest rate, as laid down by Law no. 64/2014. This programme aims to protect and facilitate access to housing loans for people with disabilities.
Click on the links below to access the full information:
Subsídio para readaptação de habitação [Subsidy for housing adaptation]
In case of permanent disabilities caused by occupational diseases, it is possible to apply for a subsidy for housing adaptations in order to obtain assistance for the work to be carried out. This is a one-time payment provided by Social Security to cover the costs of adaptations, but with a limit of 12 x 1.1 times the Social Support Index (IAS) in effect at the time of the accident. Eligible equipment for funding includes, for example, the following: stabilisers and supports for standing positions, toilet chairs, transfer benches, shower chairs and stools, hooks and handles for dressing and undressing, wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, car adaptations, transfer lifts, handrails and support bars, lifting platforms, wheelchair and seat lifts, fixed ramps, non-slip materials, adapters, and gripping devices.
Click on the link below to find out if you are eligible to this subsidy and how to apply:
https://www.seg-social.pt/documents/10152/21729/GDP_16_DGSS/da814da9-8034-41d8-a495-5a6f85ce7cd4
Sistema de Atribuição de Produtos de Apoio (SAPA) [Assistive Products Allocation System]
Under the Assistive Products Allocation System (SAPA), Social Security can fully fund the cost of assistive products for people with disabilities or impairments. Examples of eligible equipment for funding include:
- Stabilisers and supports for standing positions;
- Toilet chairs, bedpans, shower chairs and stools, hooks and handles for dressing and undressing;
- Wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, car adaptations, transfer lifts;
- Handrails and support bars;
- Lifting platforms, wheelchair and seat lifts;
- Fixed ramps;
- Non-slip materials, adapters, and gripping devices.
Click on the links to find if you are eligible for this subsidy and how to apply: Link 1 | Link 2.
Good practices
Catálogo de produtos de apoio [Catalogue of support products]
Accessible information about National Agents and Assistive Products available on the national market. The catalogue enables users to obtain information on various types of products and compare their technical and functional specifications to find the most suitable products for specific cases.
This is an intervention programme aimed at promoting accessibility of public services for individuals with limited mobility. This programme is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) for the 2021-2025 programming period and aims to support interventions in at least 1,500 public buildings.
Resources
Intervention programme aimed at promoting accessibility to public services for individuals with limited mobility. This programme is part of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) for the 2021-2025 programming period and aims to support interventions in at least 1,500 public buildings.
Measures on how to adapt a home for a person with a disability, meet the needs of an individual with reduced mobility, and deal with architectural barriers.
Connected topics
Why is it important to fund home adaptations?
Home adaptations are modifications or additions to the home that eliminate architectural barriers and make it safer for people in need of assistance to move around and perform their daily activities. This can include measures such as installing ramps, widening doors, adding grab bars or using specialised bathroom equipment, as shown in the barrier-free housing section. With appropriate funding, care recipients can remain in their own homes and receive the support they need to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
These home help centres give useful advice to older adults, people with disabilities, and those who have trouble with daily tasks, along with their families and caregivers. They offer practical tips on how to change one’s home to make it safer and easier to move around, remove obstacles, and make everyday activities simpler. You can also obtain information on financial support, tax benefits, and helpful products and services available in your area. These centres are a good place to start if you’re looking for solutions to improve your quality of life at home.
Below, you will find an overview of available financing options and a step-by-step guide on how to finance home adaptations for the person you care for.
What services exist in Italy to finance home adaptation?
The following overview lists various institutions and services through which home adaptations can be financed in Italy
Services
Law no. 13 of 1989 - Grants to remove architectural barriers in private buildings
Municipalities are responsible for housing, welfare and care assistance through the various centres in each region that deal with domestic adaptation.
Click on the following links for further information on who is eligible and who to contact in your region: Link 1 | Link 2 | Link 3
Italian Revenue Agency: Tax relief for people with disabilities
Under Law no. 104 of 1992, people with disabilities may be entitled to tax relief for home adaptations. The revenue agency grants tax relief on work carried out for home adaptation (link).
Click on the following links for further information on the various types of tax deductions available for people with disabilities and their care givers: Link 1 | Link 2
Super bonus for the elimination of architectural barriers
Lastly, it is possible to benefit from the “Superbonus” (110% deduction) for expenses incurred after 1 January 2021 for work aimed at removing architectural barriers and improving mobility inside and outside the home for people with severe disabilities
How to finance domestic adaptations?
Below, you will find information on how to obtain financial support for home adaptations in Italy.
In Italy there are several sources from which financial support can be obtained for home adaptations. These vary from region to region and from municipality to municipality. The revenue agency, as described above, grants tax relief for home adaptations.
These include the recognition of the so called “civil invalidity and disability” under Law no. 104 of 1992, which recognises the right to access funding and tax breaks for home adaptation. Exact details can be found in relation to the service for which you wish to apply (see above).
In Italy, this may vary depending on the type of financing. For example, applications to fund home adaptations have to be submitted to the municipalities, while applications for tax relief have to be submitted to the revenue agency. Always check the procedure with the relevant bodies.
Make sure you meet all the requirements to apply.
Maintain support for your care recipient and ask organisations regularly about the current state, so that your care recipient will not be forgotten.
Good practices
How to finance domestic adaptation
Contact your local municipality to ask about home adaptation.
Opportunities for domestic and environmental adaptation.
Resources
Database of centres specialising in the topic
Centres in Italy providing information and/or help and/or advice on home adaptation and more generally on accessibility and independent living for people with disabilities.
Connected topics
Where can I find information about how to finance home adaptions in Germany?
The living environment plays an important role in the quality of life. It is therefore understandable that the majority of people would prefer to stay in their own familiar homes rather than move into a care home. However, only around 1.5% of homes in Germany are barrier-free. These barriers become increasingly unavoidable in old age or when care is required. Home adaptations make an important contribution to independent living and relieve the burden on family carers. Home adaptations can range from small manual steps such as removing tripping hazards to costly remodelling measures. It is therefore important to find out about the financial possibilities. If several options are possible, it is also advisable to seek advice.
Below you will find links for websites with information on different ways of financing home adaptions. You will also find suitable links if you need advice or want to apply directly for a loan.
What websites are there with information on financing home adaptations?
The overview contains links to websites with specific information about home adaptations and also further links to obtain advice and find out about loan options
Services
Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft Wohnungsanpassung e.V.
BAG Wohnungsanpassung e.V. supports the removal of barriers in the living environment so that people in need of care can carry on living in their familiar surroundings for as long as possible. It provides information and advice about different ways of financing home adaptions.
Click here for its website.
Bundesministerium für Wohnen, Stadtentwicklung und Bauwesen (Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building)
The Federal Ministry of Housing, Urban Development and Building promotes adaptation to the needs of various groups. Not only do adaptations improve the quality of life of older people and people with disabilities or limited mobility but also for families with children. This support is provided through information campaigns and subsidy programmes.
Click here for the association’s general website.
The section “Wie lässt sich altersgerechter Umbau finanzieren?” (“How to finance age-appropriate remodelling?”) contains information on various financing options.
Home adaptations for tenants
There is a legal entitlement to housing adaptation. However, it is sometimes difficult for tenants to enforce this right because their landlords have a right to a reinstatement obligation, i.e., in the event of any remodelling, they can demand that the property be restored to its original condition.
Further information can be obtained from the niedersächsische Fachstelle für Wohnberatung (Lower Saxony specialist centre for housing advice).
The niedersächsische Fachstelle für Wohnberatung (lower Saxony specialist centre for housing advice) has created a document that lists all the important information for tenants who want to carry out a housing adaptation. You can find this document by clicking on this link.
What should I do if I need to adapt my home? How do I find support in making a decision on how to finance home adaptions? Where can I apply for a loan?
If you need home adaptions, you should first identify your own needs and then ask for advice before you decide how to finance the adaptions.
Services
Before deciding on a certain type of home adaption, it is important to consider a few things. First of all, you should decide together with the person in need of care which measures would be most helpful. There are different ways of financing adaptations. For example, for bigger home adaptations you probably need to apply for a loan whereas for smaller adjustments you can ask your Pflegeversicherung (Long-Term Care Insurance) for financial support. Your Pflegeversicherung can also assist you if you are a tenant or a homeowner. Although the care insurance is also responsible for major adaptations, it will probably not cover the full costs. For bigger home adaptations you might need to apply for a loan while for smaller adjustments your care insurance might be sufficient for financial support. Your care insurance can also assit you if you are a tenant or a homeowner.
Please bear in mind that applications must be submitted before any measures are taken, as otherwise reimbursement is no longer possible.
The best way of financing home adaptions depends on your individual context. Most of the time there are several options. To find out the most suitable one, it is helpful to get advice from contact points for home counselling. If you have already decided on a specific way of financing your adaptations, you can always go back in order to get help with filling out the applications.
There are a lot of different regional contact points for home counselling. Click here for a list of these contact points.
There are multiple ways of financing home adaptions. Depending on the extent of the measure, various funding options can be considered. Below, you will find a link with a description of different financing alternatives and a link with a search function for funding programmes. Each financing option is explained in more detail and includes relevant links where applicable:
Good practices
Resources
Connected topics
What is home adaptation and why is it important for people with disabilities and their caregivers?
Adapting a home means altering it and its environment by changing spaces and/or equipment. Home adaptation for people with disabilities involves making modifications to living spaces, such as installing ramps, widening doorways, installing grab bars, and accessible fixtures, to accommodate their specific needs and promote independent living in a safe and comfortable environment.
Home adaptation is crucial to maintain the independence of people with disabilities, ensuring safety, fostering social inclusion, and enhancing the quality of life of people with disabilities and/or their informal caregivers.
In this section, you will find information about options and how people with physical, intellectual, and psychosocial disabilities and/or their informal caregivers can apply for home adaptations.
Below you will find links to websites with information about home adaptation opportunities in Lithuania.
Who do you need to apply to if you want your home to be adapted to meet the needs of a person with a disability?
This section includes links to resources that offer guidance and comprehensive information regarding possible home adaptations.
Services
Where to apply for home adaptation for people with disabilities
In this STEP-TO-STEP guide, you will find information about where to apply if you want to adapt your home to meet the needs of a person with disabilities
Read about available information on home adaptation opportunities in Lithuania to learn more about the programme, requirements, procedures and refunds. Please familiarise yourselves with good practices and additional materials available in this section.
Think about the best home adaptation solutions for you, and how to improve your living environment so that you can feel comfortable, safer, and more independent. You can discuss this with your informal caregiver, and other family members. You can also contact organisations that bring together people with disabilities and represent their rights, and municipal representatives with an interest in this topic.
A person with a disability or their representative (e.g. an informal carer) has to apply to the municipal administration of their place of residence. The Housing Adaptation Commission, set up by the municipal administration, determines the need for home adaptations.
Good practices
Accessibility of housing for people with disabilities
The Lithuanian Union of Persons with Disabilities has announced on its website the official launch of a programme for adapting the homes for individuals with disabilities.
Home adaptation for people with disability in Vilnius municipality
On this website, you will find information on how to apply for home adaptation for people with disability in the Vilnius municipality.
Resources
Agency for the Protection of the Rights of Person with Disabilities
This agency provides a legal framework and information about home adaptions for people with disabilities.
Connected topics
Why it is important to finance home adaptations?
Home adaptations are changes or additions to create a barrier-free home and make it safer for people in need of care to move around and carry out everyday tasks. This can include measures such as installing ramps, widening doors, adding grab handles or using specialised bathroom equipment as can also be seen in the Barrier-free housing section. With appropriate financing, people in need of care can remain in their own homes while receiving the support they need to lead independent and fulfilling lives.
In the following, you will be provided with an overview of existing financing options and a step-by-step guide on how to finance home adaptations for the person you care for!
Which services are there in the Netherlands to finance home solutions?
The following overview lists various institutions and services through which home adaptations can be financed in the Netherlands.
Services
Wet maatschappelijke ondersteuning - Wmo (Social Support Act)
Municipalities are responsible for providing housing, welfare and care support through the Wmo (for more information on the different care laws, visit out legal framework module). This includes home adaptations. You can apply for financial support or support for home adaptations at the Wmo point of your municipality (see links below).
For home adaptations a co-payment may be needed, depending on your income and needs. You can calculate your co-payment using the calculation tool in the links below.
- How to get a Wmo indication
- Calculate your co-payment
- More information on home adaptations and the Wmo: Link 1 | Link 2 | Link 3
Wet langdurige zorg - Wlz (Long-Term Care Act)
People with intensive, constant, and permanent care needs who can no longer live independently may be eligible for long-term care under the Wlz. This care can be provided in care institutions or, if possible, at home. To access Wlz care, a care indication is needed. The indication can be requested at the CIZ (Assessment Care Centre). Care and financing will be arranged through your regional care office (see links below). For home adaptations, please can contact your municipality (See Wmo in the ‘How to Finance Home Solutions’ section). For Wlz home care, you will have to pay a co-payment (see link below). However, there is no extra co-payment for home adaptations.
Links:
Blijverslening (“Stay-at-home” loan)
The “Stay-at-home” loan is a personal loan or mortgage with favourable conditions. It is meant for senior citizens who want to make home adaptations thus enabling them to stay at home for longer. However, some municipalities offer the loan to other age groups as well. Please contact your municipality to find out their regulations or click on the links below.
Click on the following links for further information on the loan and to find out which municipalities offer it:
Zorgverzekering (Health insurance)
Basic insurance policies cover some home adaptations such as technologies to remotely control lights, windows, and doors, wake up and alarm equipment, or a flashing doorbell for individuals with auditory problems. You can find a list of equipment and tools covered by basic insurance policies by clicking on the links below.
Other health insurers may offer coverage for specific home adaptations, such as ADL-hulpmiddelen (daily living aids), as part of their supplemental health insurance policies. However, this may vary depending on the insurer and the specific policy. As there are various insurance services, you will need to contact your own adviser to receive further advice on how to obtain funding for home adaptions. A co-payment or own-risk contribution might be needed.
Find out more information in the links below:
How to finance home solutions?
Financial support for home adaptations in the Netherlands can be obtained from various sources. The exact conditions and guidelines may vary depending on the source of funding. Therefore, it is important to find out what they are in advance. You can look at the services indicated above to get an idea of where you can finance home adaptions. Moreover, you can check out the link below to find out information on all available equipment and tools and their financing options. (Link)
These include medical reports or recommendations confirming the need for home adaptations as well as cost estimates from tradespeople or construction companies for the adaptations you plan to make. Of course, the documents or information required depend on the service(s) in question. For example, in the case of Wmo, there is an initial “kitchen table” discussion during which various care options are discussed.
Therefore, the documents you need or arrangements you have to make depend on the service(s) you choose. See above for all the exact details on the service you want to apply for.
In the Netherlands, this may vary depending on the adaptation and the type of financing. For example, applications for funding home adaptations are submitted via the municipality. However, not every municipality offers the same kinds of adaptations. Please check with your municipality to find out the adaptations that are covered.
Other financing options are loans (such as the blijverslening, verzilverlening, or mortgage), insurance, or savings.
Of course, the documents or information required depend on the service(s) in question. For example, in the case of Wmo, there is an initial “kitchen table” discussion during which various care options are discussed (see also the module on ambulatory care)
Be sure to include all required information and attach the necessary documentation to avoid delays in processing. Application forms are usually available online (see above) or can be requested from the relevant office.
Once an application has been approved, you can start planning and implementing the home adaptations. It is important to note that certain funding sources may have specific requirements as to how the funds may be used. Therefore, it is advisable to be aware of this and seek advice if necessary. For a general idea on the adaptions that can be implemented for a barrier-free home, check the international topic or the link under step 1.
Good pratices
Langer thuis in huis (Longer at home in your house)
“Langer thuis in huis” is a website that offers information on topics such as home adaptations, home aids, and financial help to enable people to carry on living in their homes as they age or encounter mobility problems.
Regelhulp is a government website that provides a guide for navigating help and support measures. It offers information and helpful links on housing, and more.
Resources
Infographic home adaptations for Wlz (long-term care) recipients
An infographic explaining how to arrange home adaptations when you are in possession of a Wlz (long-term care) indication.
Connected topics
What is meant by barrier-free housing?
Barrier-free housing refers to the design of living spaces and environments that are accessible and usable for people with different types of disabilities. This means that there are no obstacles that could make it difficult for people with mobility, sensory or cognitive impairments to move around and use their home safely and independently. For example, wider doors, level entrances, non-slip floors and adapted bathrooms can help to reduce barriers.
What are the benefits of barrier-free housing for people in need of care?
Barier-free homes can be designed to meet the needs of wheelchair users, the visually and hearing impaired and people with other mobility or cognitive impairments. In this context, they bring a number of benefits:
- Barrier-free husing enables people with different disabilities to move freely and safely around their homes without encountering obstacles.
- It promotes independence and autonomy as residents are less dependent on help to carry out their daily activities.
- It makes everyday living easier by providing access to all areas of the home, including bedrooms, kitchens and bathrooms.
Which basic modifications or adaptations can be made to make housing more accessible for people with disabilities and care needs?
Overall, several changes can be made to ensure barrier-free housing. In the floor plan below, you can click on the various interactive points to find out which adaptations are possible in the kitchen, bathroom and bedroom and how they can be implemented.
How can informal carers help to create an environment that supports the independence and quality of life of people in need of care?
You, as an Informal carer must create accessible and barrier-free housing for your care recipients. The accessible solutions presented can significantly improve the lives of people in need of care. They allow to move freely and safely while carrying out everyday activities independently. You should take special care to ensure that your caretaker’s home is easily accessible, with wide doorways, non-slip floors and other adaptations that take all needs into account. By implementing accessible housing options, you can improve the quality of life of care recipients and provide them with an environment where they feel comfortable.
Good Pratices
Regelhulp (arrangement help) (NL)
Regelhulp is a government website that provides a guide for navigating help and support measures. They offer information and helpful links on housing, and more.
Barrierefrei Leben e.V. (DE)
Barrierefrei Leben e.V. shows a range of possible home adaptations in favour of barrier-free living. Click on the link and get to know about more accessible adaptations.
List of Materials
Guide presenting adapted kitchen tools & utensils
The guide of the National Center on Health, Physical Activity and Disability (NCHPAD) gives an brought overview about available tools in the kitchen.