The aid for special home adaptations for disabled people is a subsidy that may be obtained for the purpose of adapting new or existing constructions for people with one or more motor disabilities.

The subsidy is granted according to income conditions, and may only be awarded once to the beneficiary. The subsidy amounts to 60 % of the cost of works and may not exceed EUR 15,000.

This financial aid may be combined with other housing-related government aid payments.

The subsidy is paid as the special adaptation works progress, upon submitting the corresponding invoices.

The dwelling for which the financial aid is being applied for must meet the legally prescribed safety and health standards, as well as the specific housing needs that are generally admissible in the country.

The aid lapses after one year from the date of completion of the special adaptation works.

 

The eTracking function for hardcopy (paper) forms is a feature of this process. This feature enables users to stay informed about the advancement of their applications by email and/or by SMS.

Who is concerned

Applications for this subsidy may be filed by any person residing in Luxembourg who:

• is authorised to legally reside in Luxembourg, is domiciled there and effectively lives there;
• is personally affected by one or more motor disabilities resulting in a permanent deficiency or impairment preventing them from performing daily tasks, and in particular compromising their own mobility;
• is the owner or rightful user of the dwelling in which a disabled person is living, provided they have carried out the adaptation works to meet the special needs of the disabled person at their own expense;
• does not receive long-term care insurance to cover the costs of the work.

When the beneficiary of the aid is a tenant or rightful user of the dwelling, and the landlord has given their consent for the works, even tacitly, the latter may not demand that the dwelling be restored to its original condition, nor demand damages.

Prerequisites

If the dwelling in which the adaptation works are to be carried out was built after 10 September 1944, minimum and maximum floor space criteria must be satisfied:

• single-family residence: between 65 m² and 140 m²;
• flat: between 45 m² and 120 m².

These floor spaces are increased:

• by 20 m² for each dependent child of the applicant starting from the third;
• by 20 m² for any 1^st degree ascendant of the applicant and any disabled personliving in the beneficiary's home, starting from the 5^th person residing there, provided this person is not themselves the owner of a dwelling.

To calculate the floor space, basements, attics, garages and common areas in buildings held as co-property should not be taken into account.

Workshops, commercial areas and other outbuildings used for professional purposes are excluded up to a maximum of 20 m². However, lofts or spaces that could be used as a loft are included, but only on condition that the height of the loft is at least 2 meters and that it has a normal access and a total window surface exceeding 0.375 m².

In some cases, considering the applicant's social situation, the Minister may waive the condition of minimal useful residential floor space.

How to proceed

Works that may be covered

The following works in particular are eligible for financial aid:

• creating special access-ways to the dwelling;
• transformations and adaptations inside the home, facilitating the mobility of the disabled person;
• enlargement of doors;
• first-time installation of a special elevator or equivalent type of equipment;
• first-time installation of special equipment in the kitchen, bathroom and toilets;
• adaptation of power switches and electrical sockets to meet the needs of the disabled person.

Filing an application

The application is made using the individual housing aid application form. It should be completed and returned to the Housing Aid Service (Service des aides au logement) before the date of commcement of works.

The following must be included with the application:

• for the applicant and any other person living in the dwelling: a copy of the certificate of registration or the permanent residence permit (for nationals of a Member State of the European Union) and/or a copy of the residence permit or permanent residence permit or passport with residence permit (for nationals of a third country);
• a copy of the notarised property deed for the building, dated and signed by the notary;
• the salary certificates for the 3 years preceding the start of the works;
• a medical certificate certifying the physical disability;
• copies of the invoices for the special adaptations works performed.

Family status to be considered

The family status that is taken into account is that on the date on which the works are scheduled to begin. The children that are taken into account are those for whom the applicant receives family benefits, or who are beneficiaries of government financial aid for higher education, and who live with the applicant and have been declared as living with the applicant.

Furthermore, the disabled person is taken into account when determining family status, even if the family benefits are not granted for them.

The beneficiary of the aid must also immediately inform the Minister of any change that could affect the granting, maintenance, modification or withdrawal of the aid, failing which they may be required to reimburse the aid retroactively.

Income criteria to be considered

Depending on the applicant's family status, their taxable income may not exceed certain limits.

When the disabled person lives in the household of the owner or user of the dwelling who is applying for the financial aid, the disabled person's income is added to the applicant's taxable income, unless the disabled person is taxed jointly with the applicant.

The income to be considered for calculating the subsidy is the taxable income plus all other income—even if not taxable—of the applicant and any other person living with the applicant in the dwelling in question, with the exception of descendants and ascendants or relatives by marriage of the applicant up to and including the 2^nd degree inclusively. However, family benefits, government financial aid for higher education, orphan's pensions, benefits for severely disabled persons, or long-term care insurance benefits are not taken into account when considering income.

If the disabled person is taxed jointly, the income considered also includes any net income from a paid job held by a spouse or partner who is personally enrolled in a pension scheme; this income is reduced by EUR 1,250.

Rental of the dwelling

The subsidy must be repaid if the beneficiary rents all or part of the dwelling for which the aid was requested, unless part of the dwelling is rented to a student enrolled in a post-secondary school in the Grand-Duchy of Luxembourg.

Reimbursement of the subsidy

If the beneficiary of the aid is the disabled person, the dwelling for which the aid is granted must be used as the primary and permanent residence of said beneficiary for at least 10 years after the completion of the works. The beneficiary must be living in the dwelling by no later than 3 years after the financial aid is granted, failing which the aid will have to be repaid. If the dwelling is disposed before the end of the 10-year limit, the aid must be repaid, unless the minister has granted an exemption.

If the owner of the dwelling where a disabled person resides is the beneficiary of the aid, the disabled person must live in the dwelling for at least 10 years after the works have been completed. T he disabled person must be living in the dwelling by no later than 3 years after the aid is granted, failing which the aid will have to be repaid.

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