There is a wide range of disability-related financial support, including benefits, tax credits, payments, grants and concessions. Some benefits you might get are: Universal Credit Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ) or Disability Living Allowance ( DLA ) Attendance Allowance ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) Depending on your circumstances, you might also be able to get: Industrial Injuries Benefit if you’re disabled as a result of work Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care and attention because of a disability This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg) . Vehicles and transport If you’re disabled you can apply for the following: exemption from paying vehicle tax parking benefits - Blue Badge disabled persons bus pass or railcard help to buy or lease a car from The Motability Scheme Home and housing If you’ve been assessed by your local council as needing care and support services, you can get: Direct payments - allowing you to buy in and arrange help yourself instead of getting it directly from social services Disabled Facilities Grants - which is money towards the costs of home adaptations to enable you to continue living there If you’re on a low income You may be eligible for Universal Credit and could get help with housing costs . If not, check if you’re eligible for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction from your local council. Help if you’re employed You may be able to top up a low salary by claiming Universal Credit . You also might be able to get an Access to Work grant to pay for: special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings help getting to and from work mental health support communication support at a job interview (for example, a British Sign Language interpreter or a lipspeaker) VAT relief on certain goods and services You do not have to pay VAT on certain goods and services if they’re just for your own use and you’re disabled or have a long term illness. Armed forces compensation You may be able to get compensation if you’ve been injured or disabled while serving in the armed forces.

Disability and sickness benefits

Disability Living Allowance for children Disability Living Allowance for children ( DLA ) is a tax-free benefit for children under 16 to help with the extra costs caused by long-term ill health or a disability. Disability Living Allowance for adults Personal Independence Payment is gradually replacing DLA for adults with long-term ill health or a disability. If you’ve reached State Pension age you can apply for Attendance Allowance instead. Personal Independence Payment Personal Independence Payment ( PIP ) is a tax-free benefit for people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age . It can help with the extra costs caused by long term ill-health or a disability. Attendance Allowance Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit for people who are State Pension age or over, have a disability and need someone to help look after them. Employment and Support Allowance You may be able to get ‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance ( ESA ) if you cannot work because of illness or disability. Carers Carer’s Allowance is extra money to help you look after someone with substantial caring needs. You could also get Carer’s Credit so there will not be any gaps in your National Insurance record if you have to take on caring responsibilities.

Direct Payments - arranging your own care and services If you’ve been assessed by your local council as needing care and support services, you may want to choose Direct Payments . They allow you to buy in and arrange help yourself instead of receiving it directly from your local council. Disabled Facilities Grants Disabled Facilities Grants are local council grants. It helps towards the cost of essential adaptations to your home to enable you to continue to live there. Council Tax Disabled Band Reduction Scheme You may be entitled to a reduction in your Council Tax bill if your home has certain features that are essential to you living there. Example You have an extension for a downstairs bedroom, increasing the size of your property, which means you have to pay more Council Tax. However, as the room has been built because of your disability, you can get your new higher rate of Council Tax reduced, so you pay the same as before. Contact your local council to apply for Council Tax Disabled Band Reduction . If you’re on a low income Universal Credit If you’re eligible for Universal Credit you could get help paying for your housing . Housing Benefit Housing Benefit is being replaced by Universal Credit. Most people will need to claim Universal Credit instead. Check if you’re eligible for Housing Benefit before you apply. You may also get a Council Tax Reduction from your local council .

Universal Credit You may be able to get Universal Credit if you’re on a low income or out of work. Check if you’re eligible for Universal Credit . Jobseeker’s Allowance ( JSA ) You may be able to claim ‘new style’ JSA . You’ll need to have worked as an employee and paid Class 1 National Insurance contributions, usually in the last 2 to 3 years. National Insurance credits can also count. You will not be eligible if you were self-employed and only paid Class 2 National Insurance contributions, unless you were working as a share fisherman or a volunteer development worker. You’ll also need to take reasonable steps to look for work. Check if you’re eligible for ‘new style’ JSA . Blind Person’s Allowance The Blind Person’s Allowance allows you to receive an amount of income without having to pay tax. It’s added to your personal tax allowance.

Television licence discount

You can get 50% off the cost of your TV licence if either: you’re registered blind or severely sight impaired you live with someone who is registered blind or severely sight impaired If the person who is registered blind is not the current licence holder for your address, you’ll need to transfer the licence to their name. You can either: transfer the licence online - you’ll need your licence number contact TV Licensing to transfer the licence TV Licensing Telephone: 0300 790 6071 Minicom: 0300 790 6050 Find out about call charges How to apply To claim the TV licence concession for blind people, you’ll need to get a certificate from your local authority or ophthalmologist stating that you are registered blind or severely sight impaired. In Northern Ireland, the certificate or document must be issued by or on behalf of a Health and Social Services Trust. On the Isle of Man, it must be issued by or on behalf of the Department for Health and Social Services. Post a copy of the certificate along with your licence renewal notice - if you have one - and a cheque or postal order for the licence to: TV Licensing Blind Concession Group Bristol BS98 1TL Remember to include your name, address, phone number and TV licence number, if you have one.

VAT relief for disabled people

If you’re disabled or have a long-term illness, you will not be charged VAT on products designed or adapted for your own personal or domestic use. Also, you will not be charged VAT on: the installation and any extra work needed as part of this repairs or maintenance spare parts or accessories The product and your disability have to qualify. Qualifying products or services Your supplier can tell you, but usually products designed or adapted for a disability qualify. For example, certain types of: adjustable beds stair lifts wheelchairs medical appliances to help with severe injuries alarms braille paper or low vision aids - but not spectacles or contact lenses motor vehicles - or the leasing of a motability vehicle building work like ramps, widening doors, installing a lift or toilet How to get the product VAT free To get the product VAT free your disability has to qualify. For VAT purposes, you’re disabled or have a long-term illness if: you have a physical or mental impairment that affects your ability to carry out everyday activities, for example blindness you have a condition that’s treated as chronic sickness, like diabetes you’re terminally ill You do not qualify if you’re elderly but not disabled, or if you’re temporarily disabled. You’ll need to confirm in writing that you meet these conditions. Your supplier may give you a form for this. Help from your council You can apply to your council for equipment or help to adapt your home if you have a disability. Importing goods You do not pay VAT if you import qualifying goods that are for your own personal or domestic use. This includes certain goods for blind and partially sighted people. If you use a freight service they can help you with the paperwork, otherwise make sure the following is written on parcel, ‘Goods for disabled people: relief claimed’. If you bring them in yourself, declare them in the red channel at Customs. For any other method of import, contact the National Import Reliefs Unit. National Import Reliefs Unit 030 0057 2100 Monday to Friday, 8am to 4pm Find out about call charges

Work-related injuries or illness

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit You may be entitled to get Industrial Injuries Benefit if you’re disabled as a result of: an accident at work a disease deafness caused by work Constant Attendance Allowance You can claim Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care and attention because of a disability and you claim Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit.

Financial help if you're disabled

Q: Armed forces compensation

You can claim for compensation if while serving in the armed forces: you got an injury or illness an existing condition you had was made worse Constant Attendance Allowance You can also apply for Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care for a disability.

Overview

There is a wide range of disability-related financial support, including benefits, tax credits, payments, grants and concessions.

Some benefits you might get are:

Universal Credit
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
Attendance Allowance
‘new style’ Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)

Depending on your circumstances, you might also be able to get:

Industrial Injuries Benefit if you’re disabled as a result of work
Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care and attention because of a disability

This guide is also available in Welsh (Cymraeg).

Vehicles and transport

If you’re disabled you can apply for the following:

exemption from paying vehicle tax
parking benefits - Blue Badge
disabled persons bus pass or railcard
help to buy or lease a car from The Motability Scheme

Home and housing

If you’ve been assessed by your local council as needing care and support services, you can get:

Direct payments - allowing you to buy in and arrange help yourself instead of getting it directly from social services
Disabled Facilities Grants - which is money towards the costs of home adaptations to enable you to continue living there

If you’re on a low income

You may be eligible for Universal Credit and could get help with housing costs.

If not, check if you’re eligible for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Reduction from your local council.

Help if you’re employed

You may be able to top up a low salary by claiming Universal Credit.

You also might be able to get an Access to Work grant to pay for:

special equipment, adaptations or support worker services to help you do things like answer the phone or go to meetings
help getting to and from work
mental health support
communication support at a job interview (for example, a British Sign Language interpreter or a lipspeaker)

VAT relief on certain goods and services

You do not have to pay VAT on certain goods and services if they’re just for your own use and you’re disabled or have a long term illness.

Armed forces compensation

You may be able to get compensation if you’ve been injured or disabled while serving in the armed forces.

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Financial help if you're disabled

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