Great 'What discounts can I get when I'm disabled' Hunt

jenbabe

Huge thanks for all that very interesting & vauable information..
Well done everyone..x

BabyGurl88

Hi,
I'm a carer for my partner hes got paranoia schizophrenia and I'm wondering if all these discounts and offers will apply for us?

caris

I have just stumbled upon this thread and its very interesting reading.

What exactly qualifies as "being disabled"?

My husband receives industrial injuries benefit and they state he is % disabled due to an injury sustained at work. Due to this he also receives the disability element on WTC.

Would he qualify for any of these discounts or not?

caris

Hear-Hear

DPRC Bod wrote: We use proxy criteria to verify qualification but we keep these criteria under constant review. For example, I noticed in the thread earlier on there was mention of 'registration as Deaf' as one of the criteria that used to apply. The problem is that most local authorities no longer keep a register of deaf people so lots of people who wanted the card were unable to get it. We therefore changed the qualifying criteria so that Hearing Aid users could qualify and the evidence we asked for was a copy of their NHS Hearing Aid battery dispensing book.


Hello DPRC Bod,

You are absolutely correct in that there is no longer a 'register of the deaf' at local authority level. I think your idea to use the brown NHS Hearing Aid Battery dispensing book is a good one, but it only covers around 75% of hearing aid users. 25% of users purchase their hearing aids privately, so no 'brown book' evidence to show. That would be around 200,000 - 250,000 hearing aids per year. Add to this the 1,000,000+ hearing aids currently in use but dispensed more than 12 months ago. Then you have to add the non-users. Approximately one-in-seven of the population has an aidable hearing impairment, but only 2,000,000 actually have hearing aids. So that leaves another 7,000,000 or so who have an even worse problem than hearing aid users, since they haven't yet faced up to the issue !

In view of the above, I would like to suggest that the criteria be extended to include those with significant hearing loss but who do not use NHS hearing aids for one reason or another.

As a qualifier, you would need a threshold. The terms 'mild loss', 'moderate loss', 'severe loss', and 'profound loss' are all recognised and established terms with the NHS specifically and throughout audiology generally. It should easily be possible to select a minimum level such as 'moderate binaural hearing loss' or worse in both ears, and/or 'severe monaural hearing loss' or worse in one ear. A written confirmation from a qualified audiologist - each of whom must be law be registered with the Health Professions Council, so the verifier can check and verify online! - should suffice as an alternative to the 'Brown Book'.

I have chosen the minimum qualification thresholds somewhat arbitrarily but would suggest they are in the right area. If you would like to have some form of discussion in this area, please feel free to PM me.

Regards

stef240377

caris wrote: »

I have just stumbled upon this thread and its very interesting reading.

What exactly qualifies as "being disabled"?

My husband receives industrial injuries benefit and they state he is % disabled due to an injury sustained at work. Due to this he also receives the disability element on WTC.

Would he qualify for any of these discounts or not?

caris

Most places require proof from DWP such as DLA award letter and then some places only allow it if its in the higher catagories for mobility or care.

Donnydave_3

JayWalker wrote: »

BT offer a free directory enquiries service for people who can "prove" they are unable to handle or read a directory. For details, call 195 from a landline.

Ask about putting your spouse on 'it' to, I am now disabled inmy own right, butwas on my good lady wife's card, while able bodied, ask 'um nicely. Good luck

happymummy2010

Hi I have just stumbled over this sight and already I have already found a huge amount of usefull information. Thank you all!
Can anyone help me with some advise on DLA please. I was awarded DLA last year after chemotherepy for cancer at the base of my spine which has left me with mobility problems and requiring a carer for personal care. Can anyone tell me if you can work while having DLA I would if possible love to go back to my old job (sitting down!) but i still require help with personal care thankyou;)

Hear-Hear

Yes, happymummy2010, you most certainly can work whilst receiving DLA. The DLA payments cover your personal additional needs for day-to-day living - nothing to do with work or otherwise.

Indie_Kid

You just need to make sure that your job doesn't contradict the care and mobility needs you have.

spikeysoul

You must also notify them before you start work - even if it is voluntry, or you may end up committing benefit fraud - not because of earnings (it's not means tested) just becasue of qualifying criteria.

If you want to go back to work - check out access to work and pathways providers in your local area via jobcenter may be abel to help also.