Disability and Low Income Benefits

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Disability Benefits

From an employer

 Statutory Sick Pay ( SSP )

You may be entitled to claim SSP from your employer depending on a number of factors including length of employment, age and earnings level. SSP can be paid for up to 28 weeks of sickness.

From the Department of Work and Pensions (Benefits Agency)

Benefits Enquiry Line

Freephone: 0800 88 22 00

Textphone 0800 24 33 55

Claim from Compensation Service: 0800 44 11 44

Employment and Support Allowance ( previously called Incapacity Benefit )

If you cannot work in the longer term or are not entitled to SSP or this has ended you may be able to claim Employment and Support Allowance. There are two types of ESA, contribution based and income related. You can claim by telephone  or textphone or by downloading a claim form.

Tel: 0800 055 6688

Textphone: 0800 023 4888

Download a claim form at: www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/FinancialSupport

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

Disability Living Allowance is a tax-free benefit and you may qualify  if you:

	have a physical or mental disability or both
	your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or/and you have walking difficulties
	you are under 65 years when you claim

You can claim even if you are not receiving any assistance.

There are two components, a care component and a mobility component, paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you.

Disability Living Allowance is not usually affected by any savings or income you may have and you can get it even if you work.

It is ignored as income when working out income-related benefits and tax credits but may increase the amount of other benefits you may be entitled to such as Income Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, Pension Credit, Housing Benefit and Council Tax.

Claim straight away to avoid losing benefit.

For more information and assistance contact:

Benefit Enquiry Line:  Freephone: 0800 88 22 00

                                                0845 712 3456

Download a claim form from the website: www.direct.gov.uk

Attendance Allowance (AA)

Attendance Allowance is a tax-free benefit and you may qualify if:

	you have a physical or mental disability or both
	your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself
	you are aged over 65 when you claim.

You can claim even if you are not receiving any assistance.

There are two rates of AA depending on how much your disability affects you.

AA isn’t usually affected by any savings or income you may have. If you start to get AA it might increase the amount of other benefits and financial support you are entitled to such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit and Pension Credit.

Claim straight away or you may lose benefit.

For more information and assistance contact:

Benefit Enquiry Line:  Freephone 0800 88 22 00

                                                 0845 712 3456

Download a claim form from the website: www.direct.gov.uk

Carers Allowance

 Carers Allowance is a taxable benefit to help people who look after someone who is disabled.  

You may be eligible for Carers Allowance if you are aged 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week caring for a person who gets either

	Attendance Allowance
	Disability Living Allowance at the middle or highest rate for care.
	Constant Attendance Allowance

You cannot get Carers Allowance if you are in full time education with 21 hours or more a week of supervised study or earn more than £95 a week after certain deductions ( July 2009 ). Claiming Carers Allowance may affect other benefits, allowances, pensions and entitlements you or the person you care for are receiving.

For more information contact:

 Carers Allowance Unit

        Palatine House

        Lancaster Road

        Preston

        PR1 1HB

        Tel 0845 6084 321

 You can download as claim form from the website:

www.direct.gov.uk/en/caringforsomeone

Help with Health Costs

If you are on a low income you may be able to get full or partial help with NHS charges for things such as prescriptions and dental charges, fares to hospital, sight tests, glasses and contact lenses.  You may be able to get an exemption certificate for free prescriptions if you have a continuing physical disability and cannot go out without help from another person.

For more information:

see Leaflets HC 11 and HC12 which are available at the Post Office, Jobcentre plus offices and hospitals.

or see NHS website at www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk

or Government website www.direct.gov.uk

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