Extension for disabled parent

ianrob

I am struggling to find any help / information ref building an extension onto our home for my wife's disabled parents.
Could anyone offer any advice or direct me to a website where I can find some information ref planning & design?
I am epecially interested in the support I can expect from local planning departments. To date, my enquiries have not met with any success.
Thank you.

[Deleted User]

have you spoken to social services?

kurgon

I do not believe that you can get help from planning offices, but you may b able to get help following an OT assessment. If they are currently housed in an unsuitable accomodation, then ask an OT to assess them there, and this may help either pay for or contribute to the build. This is happening quite infrequently nowadays.
The other thing you can do is have the VAT deducted from the building costs, if it is being built solely for the use of someone who is disabled. The builder should know abot this and do it at source. The final thing you need to do, when it is built, is have your council tax banding assessed, as the use of a room for someone who is disabled may lower your banding, or if the extension would push you into a higher bracket, prevent this from happening.

pmlindyloo

Have you had a look at this?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/homeandhousingoptions/yourhome/dg_4000634

Savvy_Sue

It's not entirely clear to me what the situation is - not that I'd have much to add, but other people might.

Are you wanting to add an extension to their house to better meet their needs (eg downstairs bedroom and bathroom), or to add a 'granny flat' type extension to yours, so that they can move in with you?

What kind of help are you after?

carerof3

kurgon wrote: »

The other thing you can do is have the VAT deducted from the building costs, if it is being built solely for the use of someone who is disabled. The builder should know abot this and do it at source. The final thing you need to do, when it is built, is have your council tax banding assessed, as the use of a room for someone who is disabled may lower your banding, or if the extension would push you into a higher bracket, prevent this from happening.

You can't have VAT deducted from all the building costs, only doors & bathroom see:
2.4 Are all goods and services for disabled people zero-rated?

on:

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000184&propertyType=document#P41_2436

Where I live, the alterations only change the council tax after the property is sold, so it would affect any future owners, and a lower level of council tax is only available if a permanent wheelchair user is living in the house (i.e. someone who can't walk at all)

kurgon

carerof3 wrote: »

You can't have VAT deducted from all the building costs, only doors & bathroom see:
2.4 Are all goods and services for disabled people zero-rated?

on:

http://customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/channelsPortalWebApp.portal?_nfpb=true&_pageLabel=pageImport_ShowContent&id=HMCE_CL_000184&propertyType=document#P41_2436

Where I live, the alterations only change the council tax after the property is sold, so it would affect any future owners, and a lower level of council tax is only available if a permanent wheelchair user is living in the house (i.e. someone who can't walk at all)

That's for renovations, not new builds which an extension is. Those are zero-rated and have successfully done it myself.

Also, your council are misleading you. See
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/financialsupport/taxreliefandreductions/dg_10026451

CIS

and a lower level of council tax is only available if a permanent wheelchair user is living in the house (i.e. someone who can't walk at all)

Not quite, other adaptations can also give the disabled band reduction - extra kitchen/bathroom or room specifically for the use of the disabled person.

The requirement for a wheelchair is that the property has been altered in some way so it can be used inside - there is nothing in the regulations requiring a person to need the wheelchair 100% of the time.