Caring for a disabled child is not only time consuming but places considerable emotional and economic strain on a family. To minimise the financial burden, it is important that families check that they are receiving the state benefits that their child is entitled to and that they may be entitled to as his or her carers.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) is probably the obvious starting point. DLA is a tax free benefit for children, and adults, who need help with personal care or have mobility difficulties because they are physically or mentally disabled. DLA is therefore paid in two components; a care component (DLAC) and a mobility component (DLAM). A child may be entitled to one or the other, or both. Both components can be paid at different rates, depending on how disability affects
your child.
DLA can also act as a gateway benefit to other benefits. For example, the Motability Scheme provides assistance and advice to families of disabled children who need help getting a vehicle or scooter, or adapting a vehicle, to accommodate their child’s needs. The family of a child over three years old, who receives DLAM at the higher rate, can apply to the Motability Scheme for help with leasing or buying a suitable vehicle. Part of the child’s DLAM is then used to fund the vehicle the family needs to meet the child’s particular transport requirements. Motability also offers a hire purchase scheme for powered wheelchairs and scooters. One of the advantages of the scheme is costs saving; the cost of hiring a car through the scheme is not subject to VAT and the cost of adapting a vehicle for a disabled person is also eligible for VAT relief. A child over two years old, either in receipt of DLAM paid at the higher rate, or registered blind, is also entitled to parking concessions under the Blue Badge parking scheme.
Even if your child is not receiving DLAM at the higher rate, or is younger than two years old, you may still be able to apply for a Blue Badge on his or her behalf. Your child may be eligible if he or she has substantial difficulty walking, needs to be accompanied by bulky medical treatment, or you need to stay close to a vehicle, either to be able to provide your child with medical treatment or for easy access to hospital etc. The parking concessions afforded by the scheme include parking on single or double yellow lines for up to three hours (except where there is a ban on loading or unloading), exemption from the London congestion charge (subject to registration and payment of a one off £10 fee) and some toll fee concessions.
Carer’s Allowance is a taxable benefit paid to people who care for someone disabled (an adult or a child), whether a relative or not. To qualify for Carer’s Allowance, you need to be providing at least 35 hours of care per week to someone in receipt of middle or highest rate DLAC. Unfortunately you cannot get Carer’s Allowance if you are studying or in receipt of even a fairly modest
net income.
The benefits system is far from straightforward and it is widely believed that many people do not claim their full entitlement to benefits. This article has been prepared to offer an insight into what assistance may be available and highlight what we see as the most obvious starting point. There may well be other benefits available to you and your child depending upon your family’s individual circumstances.
It is therefore important to check that you and your child are receiving the most appropriate benefits and a call to the Disability and Carers Service, part of the Department for Work and Pensions, may well be worthwhile.
Article Source: http://www.compensationsecrets.co.uk/
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