Amie Greenfaery, 45, from the Cotswolds, embarked on what should have been a straightforward move closer to her husband’s workplace in 2017. However, what promised to be a simple process of adapting her new home for accessibility turned into an eight-year ordeal just to gain proper access through her front door.
Diagnosed with a disability and classified as an urgent gold-band medical housing need, Amie was confident that securing a Disabled Facilities Grant (DFG) would be swift. Aimed at helping disabled individuals modify their homes to live safely and independently, these grants typically have decisions made within six months and work completed within twelve. Despite this, many local councils miss these deadlines, and Amie’s experience became a testament to such systemic delays.
Initially reassured that adaptations would be uncomplicated, Amie was shocked when she was informed that front access alterations required a separate assessment and a second DFG application. Over the years, she met with multiple occupational therapists who expressed sympathy but could not expedite progress. Confusingly, one official insisted she already had a driveway and questioned the need for a new one, even suggesting she manage a 25-meter distance from a car parked on the street to her door using her wheelchair.
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The council’s lack of clarity extended to denying responsibility for driveway works, despite earlier assurances. Amie received an inaccessible and overly complicated plan—a series of concrete slabs separated by gravel unsuitable for powered wheelchairs, an unnecessary ramp, and no proper loading or unloading area. Frustrated, Amie redesigned the driveway herself, creating a more practical and budget-friendly plan approved by an occupational therapy supervisor. Yet, the council proceeded without her consent.
Construction began with no further consultation, resulting in new hazards including a six-inch step previously nonexistent, creating barriers rather than removing them. As a single parent to a child with pathological demand avoidance, the situation caused immense stress. The temporary solutions proposed were inadequate and prolonged, compounding her family’s difficulties.
Eventually, complaints were upheld uncovering failures in communication, consultation, and oversight, including the absence of a proper handover and occupational therapy sign-off. The driveway was finally completed, and in 2025, Amie was awarded £950 in compensation by local government and housing ombudsmen.
Reflecting on the experience, Amie said, “They had ample opportunities to do the right thing; however, what has actually occurred has been devastating to my family and me, and it has caused so much distress. It stopped us from being able to go anywhere or do anything. The sensory overload led to breakdowns during Zoom meetings, and we were effectively trapped, missing out on essential opportunities for my son’s education.”
Disability advocate Georgina Colman, founder of Purpl Discounts, highlighted the broader impact such delays have on disabled individuals. “When adaptations are mishandled or denied, disabled people face increased costs and risks, often forced into unsafe alternatives or living with unsuitable homes. Accessibility isn’t optional—it’s a fundamental right,” she said. As a disabled person herself, Colman understands the daily challenges and expenses many face, which inspired her to support disabled individuals through discounted home essentials.
Amie’s story underscores the urgent need for clear, compassionate, and timely support for disabled homeowners to live with dignity and independence.