4.5.19 Home modifications

WorkSafe can pay the reasonable costs of modifications to a home where:

the worker resides in Australia
the modifications are reasonably required as a result of a work-related An injury/disease is work related if it arose out of or in the course of employment and the scope of employment. injury or illness, and
they will impact on a worker’s access to and function within the home.

If a worker’s home cannot be reasonably modified for any reason, WorkSafe may contribute a reasonable amount to the purchase cost of a semi-detached portable unit or to the costs of relocating the worker to another home that is suitable for the worker or is capable of being reasonably modified.

A worker is also required to sign a Capital Service Agreement (CSA Child Support Agency) if the payment or contribution is more than $10,000.

See: Cost of services

Capital service agreement

A worker or their representative is required to sign a CSA when the costs of a building modification are greater than $10,000 in accordance with section 231(8) of the WIRC Act Workplace Injury Rehabilitation & Compensation Act 2013 and section 99AC(8) of the AC Act. A worker must enter into an agreement with the Agent in relation to ownership and maintenance of the home modifications, subsequent modifications, changes of ownership and frequency of modifications.

It is considered reasonable that a worker stay in the modified home for at least 8 years, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If a worker moves from the modified home within 8 years, requests for modification to a further home may be rejected if the worker is unable to establish that exceptional circumstances exist.

Home modifications

Home modifications are changes to the structure, layout or fittings of a worker’s home where the injury restricts the ability to use standard fittings or facilities.

Major home modifications

Any modification/contribution made by the Agent for an amount greater than $50,000 where structural changes are necessary (e.g. moving internal walls or enlarging existing rooms) and/or extensive modifications in and around the house (e.g. ramps, carports, bathroom and/or bedroom).

For major home modifications, a Building project manager (BPM Building Project Manager) should be engaged, and obtain at least three written quotations to assess reasonable costs.

Minor home modifications

Any modification/contribution made by the Agent for an amount less than or equal to $50,000.

For minor home modifications, the Agent should obtain at least one written quotation to assess reasonable cost.

Difference between home modification and renovation

Home modification is distinct from renovation – definition as follows:

modification - ‘to make a change, alteration or a variation’
renovation - ‘to make new again, repair, restore to good condition’.

The Agent is not responsible for any costs relating to the renovations of a worker’s home.

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