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Benefits
Disability and incapacity benefits
Attendance
Allowance (AA): for people over 65 who have needed
help for at least 6 months. Applicants must need help with bodily functions
(washing, dressing, eating etc) or supervision to avoid danger to themselves
or others. There are 2 levels of benefit depending on the level of care needed.
Disability
Living Allowance (DLA): comprises two components, a
care component and a mobility component. It is for people under the age of 65:
- the care component is similar to the AA (above) but is payable to
people claiming from birth until their 65th birthday. Applicants must have
needed help for at least 3 months and be likely to require it for another
6. There are 3 rates of payment depending on the level of care you need. If
you receive the highest rate and live alone, you may be eligible to receive
additional payments from the Independent Living Fund for personal care
- the mobility component is paid at 2 rates depending on your ability
to move independently. The higher rate is for people who are virtually unable
to walk and the lower is for people who can walk but who reasonably require
someone with them when they are outdoors, e.g. because of a visual impairment,
epilepsy or suffer from epilepsy.
Industrial
Injuries Disablement Benefit: is for people injured
at work. To be eligible, you must be assessed as being 'more than 14% disabled'.
Incapacity
Benefit (IB): is a contributory-based benefit for
people who are assessed as being incapable of work. At the start of your claim
you'll be assessed on your ability to perform your usual job. And after that
you will have to take a test which assesses your capacity to do any work. Some people are exempt from the PCA assessment.
Employment & Support Allowance: has replaced Incapacity Benefit.
Severe Disablement
Allowance (SDA): Abolished
6th April, 2001 for new claimants. It is partly replaced by Incapacity Benefit for
Young People. Those who were entitled when it was abolished and who are still in the same Period of Incapacity can still get SDA.
Statutory
Sick Pay (SSP): Employed people who are sick for four
or more days in a row may qualify for SSP from their employers for a maximum
of 28 weeks. SSP is paid in the same way as wages.
Vaccine
Damage: You might be entitled to a tax-free lump sum
payment of £100,000 or £120,000 for claims made after July 2007. If you have become severely disabled as a result of specified
vaccinations. You must couny as 60% disabled to claim. For some vaccinations claims can only be made before the person's 21st birthday. In other situations there is a six year time limit for claims.
Working
Tax Credit: If you work at least 16 hours a week and have a low income you may be able to claim WTC. The amount you get varies according to your income and personal circumstances. You get extra money if you count as disabled, are over 50, work more than 30 hours per week or are severely disabled. In most cases to get the extra payments, known as elements, if you are one of a couple, the person who qualifies must be working. WTC does not include payments for children. There is no upper savings limit, but interest over £300 will affect your payments. The rules for WTC are based on the tax system. Income counts if it is taxable and is ignored if it is tax free.
Child Tax Credit: You can claim this if you have a low income and have children. CTC replaces allowances for children in most benefits. It can also be claimed alongside WTC. Extra money is paid for children under one and for children who are disabled. If you claim means-tested benefits ie PC, IS or JSA you get the maximum CTC payable given your circumstances. In other situations its means-tested under the same rules as WTC. Getting CTC without WTC may mean you get free school meals for your children.
Other state benefits
Income
support (IS): is a means tested benefit paid as a sole
benefit or to top up others. It is now only paid to those under 60, except where one of a couple is under 60 and the other over that age.
Job Seekers Allowance: There are two types of this benefit. Contribution Based where you must have paid NI contributions and Income Based, which is means tested.
Pension Credit: There are two elements to this benefit, Pension Credit Guarantee Credit and Pensions Savings Credit.
Housing
Benefit and Council
Tax Benefit are means tested benefits paid by local authorities using
similar rules to those for Income Support to cover rent and council-tax payments.
If you get JSA, PC or IS, HB and CTB is not subject to a separate means test, you will get full benefit unless you are subject to rent restrictions because of the level of rent charged or are under 25.
The
Social Fund: This is in two parts, the regulated social fund, and the discretionary social fund. The regulated social fund provides benefits for people in certain circumstances, such as maternity benefits, cold weather payment, funeral payments and the winter fuel allowance. There are different rules for each benefit. The discretionary fund covers budgeting loans, community care grants and crisis loans.
Carers Allowance :
is a benefit that carers can claim if they care for a disabled person receiving
either of the two higher DLA care rates, or either of the AA rates. To be eligible
for the benefit, they must be spending at least 35 hours a week caring. If you cannot be paid CA because you are claiming another benefit, you can be given an underlying right as long as you meet all the other conditions for claiming.
There are also various grants,
discounts and concessions available from national organisations, charities
and local councils. You might be entitled, for example, to help paying for your
phone or television licence. You might be eligible for a grant to help you adapt
your property. You might be entitled to tax relief on some of your purchases.
You might be entitled to a grant or a loan from a charity.
More information
If you have any queries about what you might be entitled to there
are a number of good sources of help available. You can contact local groups such as Citizens Advice Bureau (www.citizensadvice.org.uk)
or local disability groups.
The Department for Work & Pensions (www.dwp.gov.uk)
Benefit Enquiry Line:
Tel: 0800882200
Text: 0800243355
Fax: 01772238953
This
provides a number of useful guides to benefits and services.
The Job Centre can also provide information on benefits you may be eligible for and how you can claim.
www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
The Disability Handbook is a guide to all the relevant benefits and services.
It is produced by the Disability Alliance and available from them at:
Universal House,
88-94 Wentworth Street,
London,
E1 7SA.
Telephone: 020 72478776
www.disabilityalliance.org
The Child Poverty Action Group produces the Welfare Benefits Handbook which covers all benefits.
They can be contacted at
94 White Lion Street,
London,
N1 9PF.
Telephone: 020 78377979,
Fax: 020 78376414,
Email staff@cpag.demon.co.uk www.cpag.org.uk
There is additional information available on the Government website www.direct.gov.uk
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