THE BLUE BADGE PARKING SCHEME

This UK-wide scheme provides an array of parking benefits for disabled people who travel either as drivers or as passengers. The Badges can be used in the UK, throughout the European Union, and in some other European countries.
For further information on Blue Badges, contact the local Council’s Social Services Department- local authorities are responsible for issuing Blue Badge permits. 

CINEMA EXHIBITORS’ ASSOCIATION CARD

This card, which costs £5 and is valid for three years, entitles the holder to one free ticket for the carer accompanying them to the cinema. To be eligible for the card, the holder must be in receipt of the Disability Living Allowance (any rate). For further information or to obtain an application form, please call CEA on (0845)123-1292, or visit the CEA website: www.ceacard.co.uk

CARER’S ALLOWANCE

You are eligible for Carer’s Allowance if you are aged 16 and over and care for someone who receives the Middle or High Rate Personal Care Component of the Disabled Living Allowance (DLA). However, this only applies if you are not in full-time education (with 21 hours or more supervision/week) and, for anyone who also works, if you do not earn more (currently) than £84/week after certain deductions (such as Income Tax) have been made.
The weekly rate of Carer’s Allowance is currently £46.95, typically paid into your bank account on a monthly basis. This figure is reduced by the amount of certain other benefits you might be in receipt of.  
Claiming may affect other benefits, allowances, pensions and entitlements that you, or the person you care for, receive. You can only claim Carer’s Allowance for one person, regardless of whether you care for more than one person.
The claim for Carer’s Allowance can be made over the telephone, by contacting the Carer’s Allowance Unit or your local benefits office, or by downloading the application form available on www.direct.gov.uk

Carer’s Allowance Unit, Palatine House, Lancaster Road, Preston, PR1 1HB
(01253)856-123, 9am to 5pm Monday-Thursday, 9am to 4pm Friday Email: cau.customer-services@dwp.gsi/gov.uk

COMMUNITY CARE GRANT

If you care for a disabled person, you receive Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or Pension Credit, and you require financial help to “ease exceptional pressure on your family”, then you may be eligible for a Community Care Grant.
The amount of this Grant varies according to individual circumstances, and it may be reduced if the applicant has £500 savings or above. Typically paid directly a bank account, it does not count as “income” and will not affect any other benefits you are receiving.
There are a number of restrictions on what type of expenses the Grant can help with- for instance, it cannot be used to pay for things such as education, training, or work-related expenses.
For further information, please contact the local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security office. They can advise on possible eligibility for the Grant and also send an application form. Alternatively, download an application form from the website of the Department of Work and Pensions: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/advisers/claimforms/sf300_print.pdf

COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT- DISABLED BAND REDUCTION SCHEME

Apart from the Council Tax Benefit generally available to persons who need financial help to pay their Council Tax bill, there is also a “Disabled Band Reduction Scheme”. The purpose of this Scheme is to safeguard that disabled people do not pay more Council Tax because they have to live in a larger property than they would have required if they did not have a disability.
Disabled persons do not automatically receive a reduction in Council Tax, however.
The disabled person in question can be either an adult or a child and does not have to be the person responsible for paying the Council Tax bill. Eligible applicants will be entitled to have their Council Tax reduced by one Band.
For further information or to apply for the Reduction, contact your local council.   

DIRECT PAYMENTS

Direct Payments are local council payments available for anyone who has been assessed as needing help from social services. Direct Payments can be used to purchase services from an organisation or employ someone to provide assistance.
As a carer, for instance, you can then use a direct payment to purchase the services you are assessed as needing to support you in your caring role. They are normally available if you are a carer aged 16+.
From April 2003, every local council must offer people who need help to stay in their own home money to meet their own social care requirements, as an alternative to social services provision. These direct payments enable disabled persons/carers to choose how they organise the help required.
For persons already in receipt of social services provision, the local council is obliged to offer the option of direct payments, except in some limited circumstances.
To receive direct payments, the local council must first have assessed your needs. The amount of payment you are eligible to receive varies according to individual circumstances.
To receive further information about Direct Payments, contact your local Social Services Department and also read the Department of Health’s “A guide to receiving direct payments from your local council- A route to independent living”, which is available on the Department of Health website, on http://www.dh.gov.uk/assetRoot/04/09/73/99/04097399.pdf

DISABLED FACILITIES GRANTS

Disabled Facilities Grants are local council grants to assist with the cost of adapting your home to enable you to continue to live in it. For the Council to agree to a grant, the council must agree that the changes are necessary to meet your needs and that the work is reasonable and practical. Any essential adaptations need to be recommended by an Occupational Therapist (who reviews the property on behalf of the council).  
You do not have to be the owner of the property to claim- you can also be the tenant, and landlords can also apply on behalf of disabled tenants. You will need to certify that you/the person you are applying on behalf of intend to occupy the property as your sole/main residence throughout the grant period- currently 5 years.
The amount paid is usually based on a financial assessment of your income in relation to your outgoings, however, this “means testing” does not apply for families of disabled children under 19. The maximum grant available is £25,000- less any assessed contribution from you.
Disabled Facilities Grants will not affect any other benefits you may receive. Payments can be made directly to the building contractor.
To apply, you must complete the council’s own application form, which can be obtained by contacting the council’s housing or environmental offices. The application will be declined if work begins prior to application approval.
Within 6 months of applying, the council must inform you in writing of the result of your application.

INDEPENDENT LIVING FUND (ILF)

The purpose of the Independent Living Fund (ILF) is to help enable disabled persons to live independently at home rather than in residential care. Payments from the ILF can be used to employ a care agency or personal assistant(s) to provide personal and domestic care at home.
Persons are eligible for the ILF if they:
*are over 16 and under 66
*are already in receipt of social services support to the value of at least £200/week (this includes any direct payments and cost of any services such as day-centre placements provided by your local authority) 
*receive or are entitled to receive the High Rate Personal Care Component of the Disabled Living Allowance
*live either alone or with people who are not able to fully meet their care needs
*want to live independently but are either at risk of or already have had to move into residential care
*are capable of living in the community for at least 6 months
*have savings below £18,500

The maximum ILF payment is £455/week. The amount each person receives varies according to the cost of care they require, on a weekly or hourly basis. The amount of ILF a person receives is also affected by the person’s savings (capital), income, and certain other benefits and expenses. The ILF financial assessment takes into account half of the person’s Disabled Living Allowance and all of any Severe Disability Premium. However, ILF payments will not affect other benefits.

ILF application forms can be posted upon request from the Social Services Department of your local authority, or from the ILF website: http://www.ilf.org.uk

DISABILITY LIVING ALLOWANCE (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit which is tax-free. It is specifically for children or adults (even adults who work) who require support with personal care and/or getting around because they have a disability. DLA is not usually affected by personal savings or income.
There are two components to the DLA:

1. Personal Care Component- if you need help looking after yourself or supervision to keep you safe. This can be paid at Low (currently £16.50/week), Middle (currently £41.65/week), or High (currently £62.25/week) rate. 
2. Mobility Component- if you need help getting around. This can be paid at either Low (currently £16.50/week) or High (currently £43.45/week) rate only.

The amount of other benefits or credits you are entitled to can increase if you receive DLA. To receive further information, please contact the Benefit Enquiry Line on (0800)882-200, from 8:30am-6:30pm Monday-Friday, and 9am-1pm Saturday. Alternatively, contact your local Jobcentre Plus or Social Security office, or the application form can be downloaded from www.direct.gov.uk

VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY (CAR TAX) EXEMPTION

Disabled people who are in receipt of the Highest Rate Care Component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) do not have to pay vehicle excise duty (car tax) for a tax disc. If you care for a disabled person who does not drive, they can nominate you to drive the car for them instead and then you will not have to pay car tax on the car you drive the person in.
To receive this exemption, an exemption certificate is required. This can be obtained by contacting the DLA Helpline Monday-Friday, 7:30am-6:30pm on (0845)712-3456. This exemption certificate is then used to apply for a free tax disc, either directly from the car dealership, if you are purchasing a new vehicle, or from the Post Office, if you are seeking exemption from a vehicle you already possess a registration certificate for.
Claiming this exemption will not affect any other benefits you are receiving. For further information, please see http://www.direct.gov.uk

LONDON CONGESTION CHARGE EXEMPTION

Blue Badge holders who register for exemption from the London Congestion Charge qualify for a 100% exemption. Registration is through Transport for London (TfL), who can be contacted on (0845)900-1234.

THE MOTABILITY SCHEME

Motability is a not-for-profit, independent organisation, which allows disabled people to lease or own a car at an affordable price. If you/the person you care for receives the High Rate of the Getting Around Component of the Disabled Living Allowance (DLA), you/that person is eligible for the Motability scheme, so long as the person you care for is aged at least 3 years old. For further information on the scheme, please visit the Motability website: http://www.motability.co.uk or call Motability on (0845)456-4566. 

VEHICLE EXCISE DUTY (CAR TAX) EXEMPTION

Disabled people who are in receipt of the Highest Rate Care Component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA) do not have to pay vehicle excise duty (car tax) for a tax disc. If you care for a disabled person who does not drive, they can nominate you to drive the car for them instead and then you will not have to pay car tax on the car you drive the person in.
To receive this exemption, an exemption certificate is required. This can be obtained by contacting the DLA Helpline Monday-Friday, 7:30am-6:30pm on (0845)712-3456. This exemption certificate is then used to apply for a free tax disc, either directly from the car dealership, if you are purchasing a new vehicle, or from the Post Office, if you are seeking exemption from a vehicle you already possess a registration certificate for.
Claiming this exemption will not affect any other benefits you are receiving. For further information, please see http://www.direct.gov.uk

VAT RELIEF ON PRODUCTS AND SERVICES FOR DISABLED PERSONS

Disabled persons do not have to pay VAT (the UK standard rate is 17.5%) when they purchase equipment that has been designed specifically for disabled persons, such as specialist disability computer software or hardware. VAT also does not have to be paid by disabled persons for certain services provided, such as the servicing, maintenance and installation of disability equipment.
Before you pay for any “disability” product or service, check if it qualifies for zero-rating (meaning you will not have to pay VAT), and that the supplier is registered for VAT. When you buy the product or service, it may be necessary for you to complete a form (the supplier should be able to provide you with one) declaring that you have a disability and specifying the nature of the disability. You can then buy the product or service without having to pay VAT.