Accessing benefits

Disability living allowance

For children aged 0 to 16
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children may help with the extra costs of looking after a child who:
• is under 16
• has difficulties with walking or needs much more looking after than a child of the same age who does not have a disability

https://www.gov.uk/dla-disability-living-allowance-benefit

To claim DLA for a child you need to be their parent or look after them as if you’re their parent. This includes step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster-parents or older brothers or sisters.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/disability-living-allowance-for-children-claim-form

Attendance allowance

Attendance Allowance (AA) is a benefit for people aged over 65 and helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you.
https://www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance

Top tip:
When applying for disability benefits, it’s really useful to have a record to rely on

• Start a diary recording issues you or your loved one faces
• You can use a traffic light system of Red, Amber and Green days giving a quick and easy way of tracking outcomes
• Keep all admission and discharge notices from hospitals
• Track any visits to the GP

Personal independence payments (PIP)

For people aged 16 or over and have not reached State Pension age
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help with some of the extra costs of living with a long term physical or mental health condition or disability.
Please note the personal independence payment application process requires a medical assessment
https://www.gov.uk/pip

Before you apply, you’ll need:
• your contact details, for example telephone number
• your date of birth
• your National Insurance number - this is on letters about tax, pensions and benefits
• your bank or building society account number and sort code
• your doctor or health worker’s name, address and telephone number
• dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent in a care home or hospital
• dates for any time you spent abroad for more than 4 weeks at a time, and the countries you visited

Universal credit

https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit
Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It’s paid monthly, you may be able to get it if:

• you’re on a low income or out of work
• you’re 18 or over (there are some exceptions if you’re 16 to 17)
• you’re under State Pension age (or your partner is)
• you and your partner have £16,000 or less in savings between you
• you live in the UK
• you are unable to work due to health or disability

Please note the Universal Credit has a health assessment for those people who are unable to work due to health or disability.

Pre-payment prescription certificate (PPC's)

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/help-nhs-prescription-costs/prescription-prepayment-certificates-ppcs
A PPC lets you get as many NHS prescriptions as you need for a set price for a year or 3 months.

If you regularly pay prescription charges, a PPC could save you money. The prescription charge in England is £9.35 per item. A PPC costs:

£30.25 for 3 months
£108.10 for 12 months
The quickest way to buy a PPC is to buy it online.

Employment & support allowance

https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance
You can only apply for Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) if you have worked and paid sufficient national insurance contributions in the previous three tax years and you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. You may also be able to get ESA if you were unable to work while self-isolating because of coronavirus (COVID-19).

ESA gives you:
• money to help with living costs if you’re unable to work
• support to get back into work if you’re able to
You can apply if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed.

Please note the Employment Support allowance has health assessment

New Enterprise Allowance (NEA) For self-employment

This fund is for starting up new businesses or developing a business if you are already self-employed
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/new-enterprise-allowance-campaign

NEA could give you money and support to help you start your own business. You need to be receiving certain benefits and have a business idea that could work.

Access to work

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-factsheet/access-to-work-factsheet-for-customers
Access to Work is a publicly funded employment support programme that aims to help more disabled people start or stay in work. It can provide practical and financial support if you have a disability or long term physical or mental health condition.

An Access to Work grant can pay for practical support to help you:

• start working
• stay in work
• move into self-employment or start a business
The grant is not for business start-up costs.

How much you get depends on your circumstances. The money does not have to be paid back and will not affect your other benefits.

Your employer may also be responsible for some of the costs of your claim. Access to Work can also give practical advice and guidance to employers, to help them understand physical and mental ill health and how they can support employees.

You can apply for Access to Work if you:

• are normally resident in, and working in, Great Britain
• have a disability or long term health condition that means you need an aid, adaptation or financial or human support to do your job (long term means lasting or likely to last for at least 12 months)
• have a mental health condition and need support in work
• are aged 16 or over

You must also:

• already be doing paid work
• be about to start work or become self-employed
• have an interview for a job
• be about to begin a work trial or start work experience under the Youth Contract arranged through Jobcentre Plus

Blue badge

https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge
This badge allows you to park in disabled parking spaces it can cost up to £10

Taxi card for cab fares

https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/taxicard
This card enables you to travel for at a discounted rate in London cabs if you are eligble
Applying for a card in your borough

Freedom pass for free public transport

https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass/disabled-persons-freedom-pass
Enables you to travel on public transport for free if you are eligble How to apply

Eligible for:
You need to reside in London (postcode checker)

1) People who are blind or partially sighted
2) People who are profoundly or severely deaf
3) People without speech
4) People who have a disability, or have suffered an injury, which has left them with a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to walk
5) People who do not have arms or have a long-term loss of the use of both arms
6) People who have a learning disability that is defined as 'a state of arrested or incomplete development of mind which includes significant impairment of intelligence and social functioning'
7) People who, if they applied for the grant of a licence to drive a motor vehicle under Part III of the Road Traffic Act 1988, would have their application refused pursuant to section 92 of the Act (physical fitness) otherwise than on the ground of persistent misuse of drugs or alcohol.

Carers allowance

https://www.gov.uk/carers-allowance
You could get £67.60 a week if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and the person you provide care for is in receipt of certain benefits.
You do not have to be related to, or live with, the person you care for.
You do not get paid extra if you care for more than one person.
If someone else also cares for the same person as you, only one of you can claim Carer’s Allowance.

Referrals to adult and children’s social care have long waiting lists, and need to be accessed early

Housing support

https://www.gov.uk/financial-help-disabled/home-and-housing

This support can be accessed through local councils