Bathrooms · 15 September 2026 · updated 21 October 2026
Bathroom grants for older and disabled people in Ireland: a level access shower or wet room, paid by the council
Quick answer
A level access shower in place of the bath costs about €4,000 to €9,000. A downstairs bathroom built on, €25,000 to €60,000. Your county council pays through two grants: the Mobility Aids Grant (up to €8,000, household income under €37,500, can be 100%) for a straightforward shower, and the Housing Adaptation Grant (up to €40,000, income up to €75,000) for bigger work. Both go on one form. The council must approve in writing before the bath comes out.
Is there a free bathroom grant for the elderly in Ireland?
Close to it. There is no grant called a bathroom grant, but two council grants pay for accessible bathrooms, and for a household with income under €37,500 either one can cover the whole approved cost. That is what people usually mean by a free bathroom grant.
They are not only for older people. The same grants pay for a bathroom for a disabled child or adult of any age.
What an accessible bathroom costs in 2026
- Grab rails, a raised toilet seat, a shower seat: a few hundred euro.
- Level access shower replacing the bath: €4,000 to €9,000, depending on how much of the room is rebuilt.
- Full wet room with a sloped floor, drainage and waterproofing: usually the top of that range or above.
- Wider bathroom door for a wheelchair: €800 to €1,800 per doorway.
- Downstairs bathroom or shower room built on when the stairs are the problem: €25,000 to €60,000. This is a build, not an adaptation.
Council price lists vary a lot. Mayo's June 2024 list allows €1,850 to take out a bath and fit a shower. Westmeath's 2025 list allows €8,500 to take out a bath and fit a level access shower, toilet and sink. A job expected to cost more than €8,000 goes under the Housing Adaptation Grant, so ask your council which grant it will use.
Which grant pays for which bathroom
Mobility Aids Grant, up to €8,000
For a straightforward level access shower, grab rails and similar basic works. Household income under €37,500. It can pay 100% of the cost. An OT report is only required for a stairlift or hoist, so a shower on its own often goes in without one. The Mobility Aids Grant in full.
Housing Adaptation Grant, up to €40,000
For a wet room, a shower that costs more than €8,000, a bathroom as part of bigger work, or a downstairs bathroom extension. Also the route when household income is between €37,500 and €75,000. You need an OT report for an extension or a big change to how a room is used, and some councils, such as Louth, ask for one with every application. It pays a share of the approved cost that falls as income rises:
| Gross household income (owner and spouse) | Share of approved cost paid | Maximum grant |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €37,500 | 100% | €40,000 |
| €37,501 to €43,750 | 85% | €34,000 |
| €43,751 to €50,000 | 75% | €30,000 |
| €50,001 to €62,500 | 50% | €20,000 |
| €62,501 to €75,000 | 30% | €12,000 |
| Over €75,000 | Not eligible | n/a |
What about Housing Aid for Older People?
That grant, up to €10,700 for people aged 66 or over, is for essential repairs: the roof, wiring, windows, doors and heating. For a bathroom you can get into safely, the two grants above are the right ones. All three are on the same form, so an older homeowner who needs both a shower and new heating can apply for both at once.
Three worked examples
These are made up, to show how the sums work. In each one the council has already set its approved cost, before VAT. The family pays the VAT on top.
- Living alone. Income €22,000. Bath out, level access shower and two grab rails, approved cost €7,200. Mobility Aids Grant pays €7,200.
- Wexford, a couple. Joint income €52,000, too high for the Mobility Aids Grant. Wet room, approved cost €8,500. Housing Adaptation Grant at 50% pays €4,250.
- Limerick, a wheelchair user. Household income €30,000. Ground floor shower room extension, approved cost €38,000. Housing Adaptation Grant at 100% pays €38,000.
What the council will and will not pay for
- Covered: removing the bath, the level access shower or wet room floor, drainage, waterproofing, grab rails, a suitable toilet, widening the door, making good.
- Not covered: the VAT, an upgrade for looks, work elsewhere in the house, or anything started before approval.
The council sets its own approved cost: its estimate of a reasonable cost, or the actual cost if that is lower. A dearer quote does not raise the grant. If you want a dearer finish, you pay the difference.
How to apply
- Get your council's form. One form for all three home grants. Every council's form, and what each part asks for.
- Describe the job exactly. "Level access shower to replace the bath, non-slip floor, two grab rails, because she can no longer step over the bath." The council funds what is written down.
- GP completes the Doctor's Certificate page, signed and stamped.
- OT report for an extension or a big change to how a room is used, or where the council asks. Louth, for example, asks for one with every application. What the report needs to say.
- A written, itemised quote for the bathroom work. Most councils ask for it in the approval letter, and some want it with the form. How to get them.
- Proof of income for the previous tax year and proof that Local Property Tax is paid.
- Wait for the written approval before the bath comes out.
How long it takes
From a complete application, most councils decide in 5 to 9 weeks, the larger counties in 6 to 10 and Dublin in 8 to 12. If an OT report is needed, the HSE wait, which we estimate at 2 to 6 months, comes first, and a private OT (€250 to €450, report in two weeks) is the usual way round it. Your county's own times are in the guides below.
Some councils have paused or limited new applications for now: Kildare, Louth, Offaly (reopening 1 February 2027), Cavan, Sligo and Monaghan. Check your council’s notice before you apply.
If the form is the part that stops you
You can do all of this yourself, for free. If you would rather hand the paperwork over, our €29.99 grant kit prepares it from a short questionnaire: your answers laid out for the council form, an OT visit prep sheet, a supporting statement explaining why the bathroom is needed, quote request emails, a checklist and timeline, and a chase letter and appeal letter. We never ask for your PPS number, income figures or documents. Questions first? Email hello@thegranthub.ie, free.
Sources, checked 21 October 2026: Mobility Aids Grant guidelines, December 2024; Housing Adaptation Grant guidelines, December 2024; the national application form; Louth County Council, housing grants; council price lists from Mayo (June 2024) and Westmeath (2025); council notices from Kildare, Louth (report of 7 October 2026), Offaly, Cavan, Sligo, Monaghan.
Common questions
Is there a grant for a bathroom for an elderly person in Ireland?
Yes. Your county council pays for accessible bathrooms through the Mobility Aids Grant (up to €8,000, household income under €37,500) and the Housing Adaptation Grant (up to €40,000, income up to €75,000). With income under €37,500 either can cover the full approved cost.
How much does a level access shower cost in Ireland?
About €4,000 to €9,000 to replace a bath with a level access shower, depending on how much of the room is rebuilt. A downstairs bathroom extension costs €25,000 to €60,000.
Is there a bathroom grant for disabled people?
Yes, the same council grants, with no age limit. The Housing Adaptation Grant for People with a Disability covers wet rooms, level access showers and downstairs bathroom extensions.
Do I need an OT report for a bathroom grant?
For the Housing Adaptation Grant, the form asks for one for an extension or a big change to how a room is used, and the guidelines say councils should consider one for an accessible bathroom. For the Mobility Aids Grant, an OT report is required only for a stairlift or hoist, so a simple shower often goes in without one, though the council can ask.
Can I start the bathroom work and claim the grant later?
No. The council must approve the application in writing before any work starts or is paid for. Work done before approval is not grant aided.
Would you rather we did the paperwork?
Our €29.99 grant kit prepares your council application for the bathroom from a short questionnaire, with the supporting statement, quote emails and checklist. Everything on this page stays free.
See what is in the kit →