equipment & housing
useful things to know !
Useful things to know ! Equipment & Housing
Contact details of helpful organisations are given at the end of this page, shown in text as *
All the information is taken from the *Disability Rights Handbook.
Community Care Grant from the Social Fund
disabled children are given a high priority for this grant which can be used for things such as clothing where there is exceptional wear and tear due to the child`s disability, laundry costs, to make the home safer or for minor adaptations. You need to be in receipt of Income Support, income based Jobseekers Allowance or Pension Credit. Forms from your local Department of Works and Pensions, formerly Benefits Agency. Apply on form SF300 giving in detail your needs and circumstances and include quotes where it may help eg for structural work.
*Items for Daily Living
under the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act (CSPDA 1970), local Social Service departments have a duty in some circumstances to arrange for the provision of equipment or to assist in carrying out home adaptations. You have to fit within the Local Authority definition of `eligible need.` If you have been assessed as such the Local Authority has an absolute duty to arrange to meet it within a `reasonable ` period of time. Note that this may be used to top up a housing grant. It can apply to Carers who have a right to their own assessment so that it could be used to buy equipment which would enable the Carer to care for the disabled person. Ask your Social Worker or Occupational Therapist for advice.
VAT Relief
you can get VAT relief on some equipment, car adaptations and building work if it is solely for the use/benefit of a disabled person. These rules are peculiar so do check before purchasing or arranging work. Contact your local Customs and Excise office (look in phone directory) and ask for leaflets 701/702 and 701/7 Reliefs for People with Disabilities.
Healthcare Equipment
may be provided by the local NHS eg specialist bed or commode but provision varies as it does for incontinence products. It may be better economically to buy washable incontinence pads. Ensure needs such as incontinence are included in the Community Care Assessment. Some Local Authorities provide a laundry service.
A charity (link) http://www.incontact.org has a lot of information on this subject and has many manufacturers listed.
The *Family Fund also give grants towards purchase of washing machines and/or dryers.
*Environmental Controls
wandering alerts and remote locking devices may be provided by the Local Authority. Ask your Occupational Therapist for advice. You can get a referral through your GP.
Wheelchairs
provision varies widely according to local criteria. Voucher schemes give monetary value so you can put it towards purchase of a non-NHS wheelchair. You can also buy through *Motability.
Educational equipment
where a need for specific equipment is specified in the Special Educational Needs Statement the Education Authority has a duty to provide it. *Ability Net is able to give independent advice and assessments.
Housing Renewal Grants
ask your Local Authority for a copy of its policy to find out what it will fund.
Disabled Facilities Grant
this is a mandatory grant designed to help meet costs of adaptations to property for the needs of the disabled person. It is means-tested. You must agree to stay in the property for the following 5 years. The maximum grant is £25,000. Ask your Occupational Therapist for help to assess what is needed and to progress your application. Once you have submitted the application the Local Authority has a maximum of 6 months to give you their decision and following this a further 1 year to complete the work.
Discretionary Grants
In July 2002 a new policy came into effect. Regulatory Reform (Housing Assistance) (
link: http://www.odpm.gov.uk
Energy Efficiency Grants
*Warm Front Grants help towards insulation, room and water heating and is available for disabled people who have a qualifying benefit. Ring for an explanatory leaflet on 0800 316 6011.
link: http://www.ricability.org
Under our trading name of Ricability, we research and publish consumer reports. They are all based on rigorous research and provide practical information needed by disabled and older consumers.
You can send for reports on many products including baby chairs, cars, wheelchairs and kettles to name but four!
As the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs we also work with manufacturers, service providers, regulators and policy makers to improve products and services. Our aim is to increase their awareness of the needs of disabled and older consumers through specialist research.
You can get in touch by email, telephone, textphone or letter.
Ricability
30 Angel Gate
City Road
London EC1V 2PT
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7427 2460
Textphone: +44 (0)20 7427 2469
Fax: +44 (0)20 7427 2468
E-mail: mail@ricability.org.uk
Registered Charity Number 1007726
CONTACTS FOR PREVIOUS INFORMATION:
Motability
Goodman House, Station Approach, Harlow,
tel. 01279 635 999
link: http://www.motability.co.uk
if you are in receipt of higher rate mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) you may be able to hire purchase or lease a car. Wheelchair finance also available. Advice on adaptations available from regional Mobility Centres; ask BDIN for information.
Family Fund
P O Box 50, York, YO1 9ZX
tel. 0845 130 4542
link: http://www.familyfundtrust.org.uk
e-mail: info@familyfundtrust.org.uk
financial help and information for families with severely disabled children under the age of 16 yrs.
Ability Net
P O Box 94, Warwick, CV34 5WS
tel. 01296 312847 or information line 0800 269545
link: http://www.abilitynet.org.uk
e-mail: enquiries@abilitynet.org.uk
provide independent assessments and advice on computers and educational software for disabled people.
Also, the Aidis Trust supplies computers and communication aids to disabled people with physical disabilities. Application should be made in writing to:
Aidis Trust, 1 Albany Park, Cabot Lane, Poole, Dorset, BH17 9BX
tel. 01202 695244
link: http://www.aidis.org
e-mail: info@aidis.org
*Warm Front Grants
EAGA Partnership Ltd., Freepost, NEA 12054,
Newcastle Upon Tyne, NE2 1BR
Ring for an explanatory leaflet on 0800 316 6011.
Equipment information is available from the Independent Living Exhibition (ILE), Brookside Centre, Station Way, Aylesbury, HP20 2SQ.
tel. 01296 398616
e-mail: ile_aylesbury@hotmail.com
Disability Rights Handbook can be purchased from the Disability Alliance, Universal House, 88-94 Wentworth Street, London, E1 7SA
tel: 020 7247 8776
link: http://www.disabilityalliance.org
Disclaimer
Whilst all the information given on this website was correct at the time of creating, BDIN cannot be held responsible for any subsequent changes.