UK benefits

[Guest guest]

There is a alot of discussion about US benefits, so I thought I would

post about UK benefits

1) DLA- Disability living allowance has two components- mobility and

care. You get 46 a week if you are seriously moblity impaired and 17

if somewhat impaired but still mobile; care rates are £64.50 if you

need help at night and to cook meals, to £17 if your care needs are

minimal. Paid monthly, tax free. Non means tested, you can work and

receive this benefit.

- if you are over 65 when you become disabled, or over 60 if female,

you get attendance allowance between 43 and £65. You keep your DLA if

you started getting it before you retired. There is also a carer's

allowance- if you left work to care for someone, you can get £48.65 a

week, but not with certain ther beenfits and only if the person you

care for receives certain benefits.

2)If you get mobility DLA at the highest rate, you dont have to pay car

tax (to re-register your car each year).

If you are substantially a wheelchair user, you dont have to pay VAT

(sales tax) of 17.5% on a new car or on any modification to the car, or

any equipment for your disabiity like a RADAR (generic disabled toilet

key), cushions for a wheelchair, crutches, etc or even an electric

recliner.

- if you are a disabled driver, you can get a free driving assessment

that will help you find out what adaptations you need and what car

would best suit your special needs.

3) You can also get a benefit if you are not able to work- incapacity

benefit. from £61.35 £to £81.35 a week, depending on age and length

of time you are not able to work.

4) Access to work is a Job Centre (state employment service through

department of work and pensions)and it can buy things you need to adapt

your disability to work- they bought me a special office chair, all the

ergonomic bits, a specialist otoscope and hearing-enhanced stethoscope,

and they pay for 7.5 hours of my PA, my new wheelchair, and the hoist I

will need. After the employer pays the first £300,They pay 80% and my

employer pays 20% of all costs in the first three years, then it starts

over with a £300 deductible for work.

5) Council benefits- like not having to pay council tax (property tax),

water rates and getting some money towards heating

6) Schemes like motability where you trade your £45 weekly DLA for

mobility for a new car with insurance

7) There is a free helpline run by the Equality and human rights

commission where people can call and ask about compliance in work, in

shops and services, etc. They send out info and will help you lodge

complaints of discrimination.

8) All healthcare is free, prescriotins cost about £7 each, but some

disabilities or diseases entitle you to free prescriptions, all

children, preganant women and OAPs (senior citizens) get free

prescriptions anyway.

9) All doctors visits are free, including home visits. Ambulances are

free if needed. They will even pay you if you use your own car to

attend a hospital appointment if you receive certain benefits

10) State pension is not available until 60 for women and 65 for men,

although the ages are changing. You can get other private pensions that

pay earlier if ill health forces retirement. For me, working in the NHS

(National Health Service) I am lucky enough to have a salary linked

pension. Few people in the UK have one.

11) There are organsiation like Motability and ricability and WHAT!

that give information on good deals, cars, etc for the disabled (and

others).

this is not exhaustive, but thought it might help to show what we over

here have access to for help.

Bethann