Financial Support

City of York Council's Benefits Advisers and York Citizens Advice Bureau

If you need help, contact your support worker or local advice service. You can also contact the City of York Council's Benefits Advisers or York Citizens Advice Bureau.

Access to Work (AtW)

Access to Work is an initiative set up to help ensure that the correct support and equipment is accessible for the individual while in the work place.

An Access to Work grant can help to pay for:

• special equipment, adaptations or support workers
• help getting to and from work

The jobs this grant will apply to can be part-time, full-time, temporary or permanent- unfortunately you can not access this grant for voluntary work. However this scheme does also include those in traineeships, supported internships, work trials and work schemes.

Eligibility:

• Have a disability or health condition that will affect your ability to work
• Be over 16 years old
• Live and work in England, Scotland or Wales

Access to Work applications can be made on the City of York Council  Access to Work page  or call 0345 268 8489 

 

Personal Budgets

Personal Budgets are a way of arranging social care services for disabled children, young people and their families. They give you more control and enables you to decide who supports your child. Personal Budgets can be used for many things to help maintain independence such as to employ a Personal Assistant (PA) or Buy support from an agency or other organisation.

 

Universal Credit Full Service

Universal Credit Full Service is all about rewarding work, encouraging responsibility, making work pay, helping those who need it most and supporting aspirations.

Universal Credit Full Service simplified is:

1. One benefit, one place to claim
2. One benefit that stays with you in and out of work
3. One benefit for everyone
4. Simpler rates for limited capabilities
5. All administered under DWP
6. Claimed online
7. All claimants information can be viewed in one place (their online account)
8. Changes can be made online
9. Is based on everyone in your household.
10. One service for all devices

They have extra support networks available for those individuals with complex needs. this support includes:

• Assisted Digital Support
• Personal Budgeting Support
• Akternative Payment Arrangements
• Advanced Payments

 

Personal Independence Payment (PIP)

What is PIP?

PIP is to help towards some of the extra costs which arise from a health condition or disability- it is based on how much a condition affects them, not the condition they have

Young people are eligible to claim PIP from the age of 16

PIP can be claimed by an individual while in work or while out of work and the benefit is not means tested or taxed

PIP has been replacing Disability Living Allowance(DLA) since 8th April 2013

Eligibility:

The individual needs to have had a disability or condition for 3 months and expect it to last at least 9 months (rule is ignored if someone if terminally ill)

They will be assessed against 12 activities (10 for daily living and 2 for mobility- the 2 components of the benefit)

For many an assessment of the individuals needs by a health professional will be included

How to claim:

Claimant must telephone DWP on: 0800 917 2222

OR

For those claiming who cannot speak or their hearing is impaired: Textphone 0800 917 7777

- PIP is what is replacing Disability Living Allowance (DLA), if you are already in receipt of DLA the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will write to you to invite you to apply for PIP- you do not need to do anything until you hear from DWP and you will continue to receive DLA until then.

Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment

Disabled Living Foundation (DLF)

DLF is a national charity and provides information on living independently.

 

 

Disability Students Allowance (DSAs)

DSAs are for students in higher education who live in England. You can apply for for a DSA if you have a disability, long term health condition; mental health condition or specific learning difficulties such as dyslexia.

How much you get depends on your individual needs- not your household income. 

What DSA's can pay for:

• specialist equipment, such as a computer
• non-medical helpers
• extra travel because of your disability
• other disability- related costs of studying

Once your eligibility for DSA has been approved, Student Finance England may ask you to contact an assessment centre, for what is known as a needs assessment, this is completed in order to see what help is needed for the individual.

 

Carers Allowance

 Eligibility:

• The benefit is for those who are providing care for someone with substantial caring needs
• Carer must be 16 or over and spend at least 35 hours a week providing care
• Carer does not need to be related/ live with the person who needs the care
• Person who requires the care must be receiving PIP (daily living component), DLA care (middle or high rate) or Attendance Allowance

Carers Allowance is taxable.

There is an earning limit for Carer’s Allowance (less than £116 per week after taxes/ expenses)

People who are in full time education/ study (more than 21 hours) are not able to claim

Current allowance is £62.70 per week (if this is the only source of income people will also claim Universal Credit)

if claimant is receiving other benefits is may make them ineligible for the Carer’s Allowance. However they will maintain an ‘underlying entitlement’ which may result in an increase to any means tested benefits claimed

Carer’s Allowance can be back dated 3 months

Only one person can claim the Carer’s Allowance

REMEMBER- if someone is not entitled to Carer’s Allowance they may still be able to apply for Carer’s Credit to protect their NI record providing they are caring for at least 20 hours per week and the disabled person or persons are receiving the relevant disability benefits or have a ‘Care Certificate’ within the application form signed by a health or social care professional

For further information, see the link to the York Carers centre site