Adapt your home for disability

Our guidelines

Our guidelines are based on Scottish Government guidance and aim to support people who need advice, equipment or changes to their home to live independently. 

We want to make the process of providing equipment and adaptations consistent and equitable, ensuring people, their family and carers are at the centre of provision and have choice and control in their support. 

Who we support

We provide equipment and adaptations if people meet these 3 criteria.

• They are disabled. This is based on the definition in the Disability Discrimination Act. This mean someone has a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long term negative effect on their ability to do normal activities.
• They live in Midlothian. This is defined in Midlothian's Policy Statement, Ordinary Residence Care Act 2014 
• They need support with everyday tasks. Our staff have assessed that without an adaptation or equipment there is a critical or substantial risk to their safety, health and independence. This means there is a high risk they will come to harm and won't be able to do essential everyday tasks such as eating healthily, going to the toilet, washing, dressing or staying safe. A full definition of these risks is in our eligibility criteria.

If people live in more than one home

• If someone is cared for permanently in two settings on a regular basis, and is a resident in Midlothian for a substantial part of each year, we will consider adapting their property in Midlothian.
• If someone makes significant use of two properties in Midlothian we will consider adaptations for their own home. We will not recommend major adaptations for their second property.
• If the service user is a child who regularly resides equally between two family homes, adaptations may be considered in both properties.
• If someone moves to further or higher education we can make recommendations to their new landlord but we will not provide these.
• We may adapt the home of a disabled child who is fostered if the child is a client of the council, whether or not the long term foster placement is in Midlothian.
• We will not adapt the home of a disabled child who is adopted if the adopting parents do not live in Midlothian.