Disabled adaptations
We want all Winchester City Council tenants to live safely and independently in their homes. If you or someone in your household is elderly or have a disability, we may be able to adapt your home to meet your needs.
Adaptations must be both:
- Necessary to help you live independently and safely
- Reasonably practical suitable for both your needs and the property itself
On this page
— Fast-track referrals
— Referrals and timescales
— Major adaptations
— Eligibility and prioritisation
— Your rights and complaints
— How to apply
Fast-track referrals
We operate a fast-track referral system for tenants who are able to identify their own needs. This means you don’t need to wait for an Occupational Therapist (OT) assessment for simple adaptations that help prevent slips, trips and falls.
Examples include:
- Grab rails and banisters
- Short runs of external rails
- Lever taps
- Raised sockets
- Easier-to-use switches and cupboard handles
- Levelling of thresholds
- Key safes
- Half steps and external access to doors
- Intercoms (if you cannot answer the door)
- Additional lighting indoors or in communal areas
- Painted edging on steps and stairs
- Moving stopcocks or electricity consumer units
- Raising or lowering essential cupboards, work surfaces or wash hand basins
Fast-track work is usually completed within 10 working days of approval by Winchester City Council.
To request a fast-track adaptation, call the Customer Service hub on 01962 848 400.
Referrals and timescales
For more complex work, you will need an Occupational Therapist assessment. This ensures the adaptation is safe, necessary, and appropriate.
You can be referred by your doctor, care worker, or anyone concerned with your welfare.
Contact OT Direct on 0300 555 1378 to arrange an assessment.
Once assessed and approved:
- We will appoint a qualified contractor.
- The timescale depends on the complexity, cost, and contractor availability.
If the work is urgent (e.g. preventing hospital discharge or enabling essential access), it will be prioritised.
Some higher-cost adaptations may require a financial assessment, and you may be asked to contribute.
Major adaptations
Major adaptations are works costing over £500 and requiring OT assessment. Examples include:
- Level access showers
- Stairlifts or through-floor lifts
- Ramps and step alterations
- Widening doorways and thresholds
- Kitchen or bathroom adaptations for accessibility
- Environmental controls (e.g. adapted lighting, door openers)
- Extensions to provide essential amenities such as accessible bathrooms or bedrooms
Eligibility and prioritisation
We follow the Fair Access to Care priority system to make sure support is provided fairly:
- Critical - urgent needs (e.g. cannot return home from hospital, cannot access toilet/kitchen/bedroom, cannot remain at home safely without adaptation). Target timescale: around 2 months.
- Substantial – significant impact on independence, though not life-threatening. Target timescale: around 9 months.
- Moderate – may be offered alternative support such as equipment or minor works.
- Low – advice and information provided. Tenants may choose to self-fund adaptations.
Your rights and complaints
We are committed to delivering adaptations that are safe, fair, and timely. Our approach reflects the Regulator of Social Housing’s Consumer Standards and Tenant Satisfaction Measures:
- We will provide clear information about the adaptations process.
- We will communicate expected timescales and keep you updated.
- We will treat all tenants fairly, with decisions based on need and property suitability.
- We will consider alternative solutions where major works are not possible.
If you are unhappy with the service you receive, you have the right to complain.
First, please refer to our complaints policy.
If you remain dissatisfied, you can escalate your complaint through our formal complaints process.
If still unresolved, you can contact the Housing Ombudsman Service, who provide independent advice and support.
How to apply
Fast-track adaptations (minor works)
Customer Service Centre
Telephone: 01962 848 400
Major adaptations (via OT assessment)
Hampshire Adult Services OT Direct
Telephone: 0300 555 1378
General enquiries
Winchester City Council, City Offices, Colebrook Street, Winchester, SO23 9LJ
Telephone: 01962 840 222
You can also read more on Hampshire County Council’s equipment and adaptations page.