Home modifications
Improving safety in your home by widening doorways and installing handrails, shower rails, or a ramp, can help you manage more easily if you have an ongoing illness, injury, age-related health problem or you’re a disabled person.
How modifications can help
Modifications help to make your home safer and help you to be as independent as possible.
Common modifications include, for example:
- ramps — to replace steps at your front or back doors
- handrails installed where you have steps
- doorways widened — for wheelchairs, walkers and walking frames
- a lift — to replace stairs between floors
- grab rails fitted around the toilet, bath and shower
- a level-access shower instead of one you step into
- lever taps — to replace round taps you need to grip
- kitchen bench lowered to fit your height
- non-slip flooring installed — to replace floor mats.
Who gets government help
You must have a physical, intellectual, sensory (vision or hearing) or age-related disability to get government help with home modifications.
You must also:
- have a long-term disability — for at least 6-months
- need specific modifications to your home, to help you do everyday activities
- have a disability that’s not already covered by the Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
- be a New Zealand resident usually living in New Zealand
- be living in New Zealand at the time you request and receive the modifications.
You may get free or subsidised modifications or you may need to pay for them yourself.
The first step is to get advice about changes to your home that will make you more independent and your home safer.
Home modifications we can fund — Disability Support Services
The process to get home modifications
The steps can depend on your situation but the process usually includes:
- an assessment of your needs
- an application for government funding
- design and build — including planning and consents.
Learn from Firstport about the process to get housing modifications through Disability Support Services (DSS). Firstport is part of DSS.
Funding for home modifications — Firstport
How long it takes
Ask your EMS assessor how long each step is likely to take.
The time it takes may be longer than expected if, for example:
- the EMS assessor needs more information
- special approval is required because the modifications cost more than DSS’s maximum
- you need to do the income and cash asset test
- plans and working drawings are needed
- the contractor cannot start right away
- construction issues are discovered during the build process
- extra work is needed to gain building consent.
Who you’ll need to work with
You’ll need to work with several organisations to get modifications done at your home.
- Equipment and Modification Services (EMS)
- Disability Support Services (DSS)
- Either Enable New Zealand or Accessable, depending on your location
Equipment and Modification Services (EMS)
A qualified housing assessor from EMS will:
- assess what home modifications you need
- decide the most affordable and efficient way to do the home modifications
- consider if you’re likely to get DSS funding
- discuss alternative options to support you until the modifications are done
- suggest other government and non-government funding options you could try
- check if your landlord (for example Kāinga Ora) will agree for the modifications to be done
- get Enable New Zealand or Accessable (depending on where you live) to apply for funding from DSS.
Enable NZ or Accessable will organise a contractor to make the EMS assessor’s recommended changes to your home.
The EMS assessors are occupational therapists, physiotherapists and other health professionals who can assess your needs. EMS is part of DSS.
Ask for a referral to EMS
Ask your doctor to refer you to an EMS assessor — or refer yourself through your local hospital community health services.
Find an EMS assessor by contacting:
- your doctor — search Healthpoint
- Health New Zealand — Te Whatu Ora
- your local Needs Assessment Service Coordination (NASC) team
- Occupational Therapy New Zealand — Whakaora Ngangahau Aotearoa
- Occupational Therapy Board of New Zealand.
Disability Support Services (DSS)
Disability Support Services (DSS) manages government funding for home modifications that cost between $200 and $15,334 (including GST).
DSS is part of the Ministry of Social Development (MSD). It was transferred from Whaikaha, the Ministry of Disabled People, to MSD in .
A DSS housing modifications funding manager will be assigned to oversee the building of your home modifications.
When the work is completed, DSS pays their share of the cost directly to the builder or building consultant. You need to do the same — if you’re sharing or contributing to the cost of the modifications.
Enable New Zealand or Accessable
One of these 2 organisations will build and install your modifications. Who you use depends on where you live.
- Enable New Zealand covers the rest of New Zealand
- Accessable looks after people living in Auckland and Northland
Funding options under DSS
The amount DSS will pay towards your home modifications depends on your situation and what you need. DSS may pay all, some or none of the cost of your home modifications.
The cost of any previous modifications that DSS paid for (after you turned 16) is considered when working out how much DSS will pay towards new modifications.
If DSS will not pay the full cost of the modifications, you’ll need to pay the rest yourself or find another way to pay it. Otherwise, the modifications cannot be done.
DSS have a funding limit of $15,334 (including GST). This is the maximum they’ll pay.
DSS pays the full cost
DSS may agree to pay the full cost of your modifications. This will include the cost of applying for any building consents, as well as booking and managing the contractors.
Cost contribution approach
DSS will pay an agreed amount towards your home modifications but not the full cost. You’ll need to pay the rest. Otherwise, the modifications cannot go-ahead.
Cost contributions for home modifications — Disability Support Services
Part-payment approach
Part-payment is when you pay for some of the costs to modify your home.
Part payment toward home modifications — Disability Support Services
You may need to do an income and cash asset test to find out if the part-payment approach applies to you.
Funding from other government agencies and organisations
If you do not qualify for funding from DSS, other government agencies and organisations may be able to help you. The process and who you’ll work with are likely to be different.
Health New Zealand
Disability support services for people with mental health needs or age-related needs are generally funded by Health New Zealand.
Work and Income
Work and Income offers a range of income support assistance and health and disability related benefits.
Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC)
ACC will pay for modifications to your home only if they’re needed as a direct result of an accident or injury.
The steps to get home modifications under ACC and DSS are similar. Start by talking to your ACC case owner or the health professional that’s treating you.
Housing modifications: about this ACC service — ACC
Click on ‘Housing modifications’ to view this information.
If you’re under 65 and have a chronic health condition
The approval process and funding may be different if you have a chronic health condition. Especially if you have very high needs requiring ongoing support services because of your chronic health condition.
An overall support package will have been recommended for you. Your need for home modifications will be assessed against that package.
It’s your local Needs Assessment Service Co-ordination (NASC) team (not DSS), that makes decisions about Long-Term Supports Chronic Health Conditions (LTS-CHC) funding.
Disability: Children and Adults NASC Services — NZ NASC Association
Veterans’ Affairs
Veterans’ Affairs offers services to veterans of the New Zealand Armed Forces, who have qualifying operational service.
List of qualifying operational service — Veterans’ Affairs
In most cases your health problem or disability needs to be related to your service.
Support for veterans and families — Veterans’ Affairs
If you’re now disabled through an accident, you may be covered by ACC.
When you rent your home — including Kāinga Ora tenants
If you do not own your home, you must get written permission from your landlord to make any changes to the property — before the work starts.
This applies to tenants living in homes provided by:
- Kāinga Ora — Homes and Communities
- other government-funded organisations
- community housing providers, local councils and housing associations
- individuals or companies — known as private rentals.
For private rentals, Tenancy Services has advice for tenants and landlords.
Tenants making changes to the property — Tenancy Services
If you’re a Kāinga Ora tenant
Your EMS assessor may recommend you transfer to another Kāinga Ora house that’s already modified or can be more easily modified.
Talk to your Housing Support Manager or Kaitoko Kāinga.
Modifications you need to pay for yourself
You cannot get government funding to pay for modifications that:
- have been done already or have been funded before — unless there’s an important reason
- are standard fittings or general maintenance
- are short-term — helping you for only 2 or 3 years.
When modifications cost under $200
Changes costing less than $200 are not funded by DSS.
If you cannot afford to pay for them yourself, contact Work and Income. They have some options that might help you, for example:
You may need to pay Work and Income back.
Help when paying for your own modifications
If you do not qualify for government help you need to arrange and pay for your own modifications. It may be worth looking for community support and using local suppliers that offer discounts.
- Ask your needs assessment service coordinator (if you have one), to suggest home modification suppliers and installers in your area.
- If you live in social housing run by a charity or private organisation, contact them to find out if they offer help with house modifications.
- Find out if any local charities can help you.
- Fundraise on Givealittle
- If you have a SuperGold Card you may get a discount from a local builder. You need to be 65 or older to get this card.
Related topics
Who to contact for more help
If you need more help or have questions about the information or services on this page, contact one of the following agencies.
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Ministry of Health
Contact and agency details -
Veterans’ Affairs New Zealand
Contact and agency details -
Accident Compensation Corporation
Contact and agency details -
Kāinga Ora – Homes and Communities
Contact and agency details -
Senior Services
Contact and agency details