Money Matters

This section addresses several aspects of dealing with money - including benefits, additional forms of funding, and who to contact for further information.

Benefits
Housing Costs
Grant and Charitable Funding
Benefit and Financial Advice
Contacts

Benefits

A large number of disabled people are eligible for benefits to meet the cost of living with an impairment. Independent research shows that disability benefits fall far short of meeting all these costs, so it is important that disabled people claim everything they are entitled to.

The benefits system can seem very complex because disabled people may be eligible for several benefits, some of which are not specifically related to their impairment but which may be linked to their general income level or living circumstances. Basic information about benefits and claim forms are available from the relevant local Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) service. The two main services for disabled people are Jobcentre Plus, which deals with enquiries relating to Incapacity benefit, Statutory Sick Pay, Severe Disability Allowance and Income Support, and the Disability and Carers Service, which covers Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance and Carers Allowance.

If you require assistance with form filling the relevant DWP service should provide support. The Department of Works and Pensions also has a Benefit Enquiry Line

Alternatively, there are several local organisations that can provide assistance, including Darlington Citizens Advice Bureau and 50+ Age Concern Darlington. Both of these can also offer information on eligibility criteria for benefits, and can support appeals processes if you wish to appeal against a decision made about a benefit.

The information given below provides a short summary of some of the main benefits available to disabled people and carers. It is important that you ask for a full benefits check from Jobcentre Plus, your local Disability Benefits Centre Citizens Advice Bureau or 50+ Age Concern if you are unsure about which benefits to claim.

Attendance Allowance (AA) is a tax free benefit for disabled people over 65 who require support to look after themselves. Attendance Allowance does not give you assistance with your mobility needs. It is not dependent on National Insurance contributions and is not affected by savings. Attendance Allowance can be claimed even if you live alone and receive no assistance. To make a claim or to find out more contact Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is a benefit for disabled people under the age of 65. It is aimed at both adults and children who need support looking after themselves and/or who have difficulty walking or getting around. Someone can qualify for DLA even if they are not actually receiving any assistance. It is the underlying need for the support that is relevant. DLA is tax free and not means tested. It is paid on top of any other earnings or income a person may have. To claim DLA you must be under the age of 65 at the time of the initial claim and have ongoing care and/or mobility needs which satisfy the disability conditions. To make a claim or to find out more contact Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre

Incapacity Benefit (IB) is available to people who are sick and/or disabled and unable to work. If you are age 20 and over you will usually have to have paid enough National Insurance (NI) contributions to qualify. If you are under age 20 (in certain circumstances under age 25) you do not have to have had paid NI contributions. To qualify for IB you must have been in a period of incapacity for work; not getting statutory sick pay; assessed or treated as incapable of work and either satisfy the rules for contributory Incapacity Benefit or non-contributory Incapacity Benefit. Your IB will be reduced if you have an occupational pension of over £85 per week. There are some exceptions to this rule. Although you must be incapable of work to get this benefit, you are allowed to do certain permitted work. To make a claim or to find out more contact Jobcentre plus.

Income Support is an income related benefit for people with a low income. Income Support Disability Premiums are additions to Income Support payments for specific groups of claimants with extra needs. People who are considered to be long term sick or disabled may be able to claim the disability premium, severe disability premium or the enhanced disability premium in addition to Income Support. To make a claim or to find out more contact Jobcentre plus.

Working Tax Credit is a tax credit for people who are in paid work. The amount received varies, depending on income. Extra elements can be paid to claimants who are disabled people. To make a claim or to find out more contact HM revenue and Customs Tax Credit Helpline.

Carers Allowance (CA) is a benefit payable to someone who looks after a disabled person at home. You must be caring for a person receiving either the higher or middle rate care component of Disability Living Allowance or Attendance Allowance, to get CA. You must also be aged 16 or over; caring for at least 35 hours a week and not be employed or in full time education (21 hours a week).

CA has an earnings limit. If you work, and your earnings are above a certain level you may not be able to make a claim. CA does not depend upon contributions, but it is taxable. Carers Allowance can be affected by the overlapping benefits rule, which gives you an underlying claim to CA but prevents you from getting the benefit if full. Instead, if you qualify you may receive Carers Premium.

If you are paid CA it may stop the person you care for from getting severe disability premium as part of their Income Support (or other means tested benefits such as Housing Benefit). However, if you are entitled to but not actually paid CA because of the overlapping benefit rule you will get the carer premium and the person being cared for will keep the severe disability premium. To make a claim or to find out more contact Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre.

Remember there may be many other benefits - not specifically related to disability - which you may be eligible for. For example, many disabled people are entitled to Income Support or Housing Benefit. To find out more contact Jobcentre Plus or Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre.

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Housing Costs

The Disabled Persons Reduction to Council Tax applies to homes where there is a child or adult who is substantially or permanently disabled and because of this uses a wheelchair in the home or requires the use of a room in the home to meet their support needs, or has an additional bathroom or kitchen for the same reason. The reduction is the equivalent of dropping a council tax band.

It is also possible to apply for a reduction in your Council Tax if you live with someone, other than your partner or spouse and one of you is disabled and the other person could be considered a carer.

You may also be eligible for Housing Benefit, which can provide financial help with rent and council tax. Contact the Darlington Borough Council's Housing Benefits Section for further information.

If your home has been adapted for a disabled person in any way, which might reduce its value, you can apply to the local Valuation Office Agency, to ask to have your property revalued.

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Grant and Charitable Funding

Some charities can provide one-off cash grants to individuals for a range of purposes, for example, to purchase particular items or enable someone to go on holiday. For further information contact Darlington Association on Disability's Information Service. If you have a Social Services Care Manager they may also be able to assist you.

The Social Fund is a government fund which makes payments to people in need. This includes non-discretionary grants and loans for maternity needs, funerals and to help to cover the cost of winter fuel or severe cold weather. Discretionary grants and loans are also available for urgently needed items, certain necessary journeys and other emergencies. There are three types of assistance you can get from the Discretionary Social Fund. These are budgeting loans, community care grants and crisis loans. For more information or to make a claim contact Jobcentre Plus.

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Benefit and Financial Advice

Action for Blind People produces a series of ten free factsheets on benefits, available in print, large print, in Braille or on cassette. They can also provide a free benefit check, which can be submitted online.

Citizens Advice Bureau can offer information on benefits, assist with form filling and support people wishing to appeal against benefit decisions. In addition, a range of financial information and advice is available, including debt counselling.

The Department for Works and Pensions operates a free benefit enquiry line, which gives advice and information specifically on benefits for disabled people and carers and provides a form completion service. The enquiry line can also issue forms in Braille or large print. Jobcentre Plus and Disability and Carers Service are both parts of the Department of Works and Pensions (DWP). Both produce a range of free leaflets and guides to benefits. These should all be available in a variety of formats including Braille, large print, on audio tape and video tapes.

Disability Alliance is regarded as the leading authority on benefits for disabled people and aims to improve the living standards of disabled people by breaking the link between disability and poverty. Disability Alliance publishes a detailed guide to benefits and who can claim them. You can use their website to find regularly updated information about benefits, tax credits, community care as well as disability-related campaigns and parliamentary news.

RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) produces an annual tape guide in nine ethnic languages on benefits for people who are blind or partially sighted.

RNID (Royal National Institute for Deaf People) has a range of factsheets as well as a casework service to support individuals.

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Other Sources of Information

Other sections of the Darlington Association on Disability Information Guide may contain further information relevant to financial issues.

The Equipment section of this guide provides information on VAT (Value Added Tax) exemptions for disabled people.

The Living Independently section gives information about the Independent Living Fund.

The Mobility section describes the Motability Scheme.

There are a number of local and national organisations providing broad information and advice resources. Please refer to this guide's Introduction for contact details.

Contact Darlington Association on Disability's Information Service for assistance with searching for information about any subject in this guide or for support in dealing with your information requests.

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Contacts

Action for Blind People
Welfare Rights
14-16 Verney Road
London SE16 3DZ
Telephone : 0800 915 4666
Fax : 020 7635 4829
Minicom :
E-mail : benefit_check@afbp.org
Website : www.afbp.org

50 + Age Concern Darlington
Bradbury House
Beaumont Street
Darlington DL1 5SX
Telephone : 01325 362832
Fax : 01325 383543
Minicom :
E-mail : darlington@ageconcern.org.uk
Website : www.ageconcern.org.uk

Citizens Advice Bureau
Bennett House
Horsemarket
Darlington DL1 5PT
Appointments : 01325 259999
Advice line : 01325 380755
Fax : 01325 380324
Minicom :E-mail : bureau@darlingtoncab.cabnet.org.uk
Website : www.darlingtoncab.co.uk

Darlington Association on Disability
20-22 Horsemarket
Darlington DL1 5PT
Telephone 01325 489999
Fax : 01325 488188
Minicom : 01325 245061
Email : mail@darlingtondisability.org
Website : www.darlingtondisability.org

Darlington Borough Council
The Housing Benefits Section
Town Hall
Feethams
Darlington DL1 5QT
Telephone : 01325 388514
Fax : 01325 388504
Minicom :
E-mail : HBEnquiries@darlington.gov.uk
Website : www.darlington.gov.uk

Darlington Social Services
Central House
Gladstone Street
Darlington DL3 6JX
Telephone : 01325 346200
Fax : 01325 346474
Minicom : 01325 360862
E-mail :
Website : www.darlington.gov.uk

Department for Works and Pensions
Benefit Enquiry Line
9th Floor, Victoria House
Ormskirk Road
Preston
Lancashire PR1 2QP
Tel: 0800 88 22 00
Fax: 01772 23 89 53
Minicom :
E-mail : Bel-customer-services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Website : www.dwp.gov.uk

Disability Alliance
Universal House
88-94 Wentworth Street
London E1 7SA
Telephone (Voice and Minicom): 020 7247 8776
Fax: 020 7247 8765
Website : www.disabilityalliance.org.uk

HM Customs and Excise
Tax Credits helpline
Telephone : 0845 300 3900
Fax :
Mincom : 0845 607 6078
E-mail : via website
Website : www.taxcredits.inlandrevenue.gov.uk

Jobcentre Plus
Bondgate House
90 Bondgate
Darlington DL3 7JY
Telephone: 01325 385000
Minicom : 01325 385047

Newcastle Disability Benefits Centre
Newcastle DBC
Arden House
Regent Centre
Regent Farm Road
Gosforth
Newcastle Upon Tyne NE3 3JN
Tel: 0191 223 3000
Fax: 0191 223 3099
Minicom :
E-mail : Newcastle-DBC-Customer-Services@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
Website :

Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB)
105 Judd Street
London WC1H 9NE
Telephone: 02073 881266
Helpline: 0845 7669999
Fax: 02073 882034
Minicom :
E-mail : helpline@rnib.org.uk
Website: www.rnib.org.uk

Royal National Institute for Deaf People (RNID)
19-23 Featherstone Street
London EC1Y 8SL
Telephone : 02072 968000
Helpline : 0808 808 0123
Fax : 02072 968199
Minicom: 02072 968001
E-mail : information@rnid.org.uk
Website : www.rnid.org.uk

Valuation Office Agency (VOA)
Teesside Office
St Mark's House
St Mark's Court
Thornaby
Stockton on Tees TS17 6QR
Telephone : 01642 416700
Fax : 01642 416799
Minicom :
E-mail :
Website :

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