Moneysaving For Carers

Rachelle_2

Thanks for that, Chris. It's good to hear that your father is being looked after. It must be a relief for you.

There are many charity organisations that go all out to help carers and their charges in whatever area the charity is registered in. By charity, I am speaking of those groups that have been formed solely to help carers with everything, including finding financial and emotional support.

My mother finally got her Attendence Allowance and Income Support, due to the help of one of these agencies.

To locate one in your area, use my link (see my previous post) for the Princess Royal Trust website. They have a search function on the upper left-hand side of their homepage. Use the dropdown menu to select your area and it should provide you with a list of agencies in your local area. My own experience with the Royal Trust group has been amazing. Give it a try.

If perchance you cannot find one in your area, then try looking on some of the other general carers weblinks that have been supplied so far. Church groups may also be a good avenue for information.

The reason why I seem to be promoting carer specific agencies is because they tend to tell it like it is, and also provide you with the complete picture of what you can and cannot get. Whereas most of the govt related ones tend only to provide piecemeal info and sometimes even that can be like pulling teeth! ::)

It's quite a maze out there. Navigate wisely.

marvin

If you pay council tax to Birmingham City council you can get.

£250 Carers Holiday Grant (cash, well a cheque) can apply once every 2 years. (if applying this year you can also get discounted stays at the Kewstoke in Weston which fits in with the £250, sadly Kewstoke is being closed this year. Its owned by BHSF)

Up to £300 for an equipment grant (again every 2 years) certain rules on who the cheque is made payable too.

Some of these are available from other councils too, like Leicestershire, Wolverhampton etc need to ask locally about them.

Free Mobile phone (PAYG) not the latest stuff but its intended for emergency use.

Grants to Carers groups to take a break as a group (trips out to the country, pub etc.)

We also have Carrier Bags (Free if you take a box of 250 and can collect)

Pens (call us for a free pen, or if you have an office within Birmingham we may be able to send you a bag of 50)

For details of what where and how etc + contact details see
https://www.birminghamcarers.org.uk if its just the grants you are after click on money which is at the top of the support section.

All grants provided in Birmingham are funded by Birmingham City Council Social Care and Health (used to be Social Services but has a new poncy name)

jo_b_2

Carers of anyone with a disability can get free entry to National Trust venues.

System

have just paid £3.50 to join the national key scheme from radar - allows you into the locked disabled toilets free anywhere you are in the country... perfect for my aspergic son who hates big noisy toilets !!!!

Also noticed in the Wakefield area ; Adults and children with a disability can get a concessional train and bus pass, from their local social services department.
To do this they will need to take either their orange or blue badge with them or their disability living allowance certificate to prove they are disabled.

What you can do with this pass and where you can go?

The train and bus pass will allow you to travel anywhere in the metro areas such as Leeds and surrounding areas for only twenty pence after 9.30am until 3.00pm and then again from 6.00pm until 6.00am next morning.

You can also get a bus and train pass which will allow you to have a carer with you, these passes will only cost you three pounds which covers administration costs, you will need to take a passport photograph with you.

Warm front
If you are receiving an income or disability related benefit, where your young or old, own your own home or rent it you may qualify for heating improvements to your home and if you are over 60 you could even have central heating installed at no cost to you.

The warm front team

The warm front team is a government funded native and is managed by TXU Warm Front Ltd in countries throughout eastern England.

Insulation

The best way to keep your homework without turning up the heating.

Heating your home

There is a range of heating improvements they can make such as introducing efficient electric storage, gas rooms heater or gas central heating systems. The following may be able to claim a grant of up to £1,500 under warm front.

Householders with a child under 16 0r who are at least 26 weeks pregnant and are receiving one or more of the following benefits.

Income Support
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefit
Income Based Jobseekers Allowance

Householders who are receiving one or more of the following benefits

Income Support
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefit

(All above must include a disability premium)

Disabled Persons Tax Credit
Working Families Tax Credit
Attendance Allowance
Disability Living Allowance
Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
War Disablement Pension.

The following may be able to claim a grant of up to £2,500

People who are aged 60 0r over and receiving on or more of the following benefits.

Income Support
Minimum Income Allowance 66
Council Tax Benefit
Housing Benefit
Income Based Jobseeker Allowance

For further information on this service
Telephone the grants help line 0800 9251555

help with driving lessons
Question and answer page on financial help with driving lessons

How do I get Financial help with the cost of driving tuition?

Motability have a scheme that is called the main Charitable Driving Lessons Scheme.
Who is eligible?

It is open to everyone who has a Motability Scheme vehicle, and who wishes to learn to drive, or due to deteriorating disability; need a carer or family member to drive the vehicle for them.

Are there lot of application form to fill in?

No applicants must complete Motability’s Application form for financial help towards driving Lessons and submit quotes from two driving schools.

If I am successful how many driving lesson will I be offered

Successful applicants will usually be offered help towards the full cost of 47 driving lessons.

What is young disabled drivers scholarship

Motability also administers the Young Disabled Drivers Scholarship. This is open to disabled people

How do I know if I’m eligible if the answer is yes to the following?

If you are in receipt of the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance (HRMC of DLA)

Aged between 16 and 24, regardless of whether you are Motability Scheme users.

If I am successful how many driving lesson will I be offered

If your applicants is successful you will be offer 52 hours of driving tuition (including trial lesson) at full cost, plus 3 theory driving tests and three practical driving tests.

Applicants to both Motability’s Driving Lessons Schemes are means tested and required to verify household income/expenditure.

For further information please contact
Motability
Goodman House
Station Approach
Harlow
Essex
CM20 2ET
Telephone 01279 635666
http://www.motability.co.uk


just a few more to add to the list.. I found these from http://www.abilities.fsnet.co.uk

Trix

Disabled people can receive concessions at the following toll bridges and tunnels providing they meet certain conditions as set out by the owners or operators.

Clifton Suspension Bridge
Dartford Tunnel/Dartford Bridge
Dunham Bridge
Erskine Bridge
Forth Road Bridge
Humber Bridge
Itchen Bridge
Mersey Tunnels
Severn Bridge/Second Severn Crossing
Skye Bridge
Tamar Bridge
Tay Road Bridge
Tyne Tunnel
Whitchurch Bridge
Whitney on Wye Bridge

Click HERE for info

Fran

Trix -

Some of them are a bit awkward to get ie, apply in writing and requiring photos. ???

I like the Tamar bridge one - you can get vouchers if you apply in writing and one of the conditions you can get them is if you are registered blind! Now I thought your sight had to be quite bad for this, I hope there's not too many registered blind crossing over for bridge practice!

Trix

Yeah I realise some are a bit complicated. I put 'providing they meet certain conditions as set out by the owners or operators' and the link because it would have been too long a post to put in all the info.

As for the blind people crossing the bridge... ;D

And before anyone says it - yes we know (I'm speaking for me and you Fran ) - it's so carers can take them ::)

Trix

For information on help available for carers, including money matters and support, click HERE

trafalgar_2

I also found this very uesful , although not a carer my husband didn't realise he could get free passage on bridges near us and others with his Blue Badge
Thank you ;D

Trix

That's OK ;D

It's amazing how much is 'kept back' about what you're entiltled to. We heard off another parent of a disabled child about this scheme (we're near the Tyne Tunnel). Seems like 'they' don't want us to know.......BUT WE'RE FINDING OUT ANYWAY.....BWAHHHHAAHHHAA