Benefits / Grants / Financial Help

UK sources of information and / or support

 Patient UK
Has a number of leaflets on health related benefits. These include:

• Attendance Allowance
• Benefits for Bereaved People
• Benefits for the Terminally Ill
• Carer's Allowance
• Help with Dental Charges
• Disability Living Allowance
• Disabled Road Users
• Free or Reduced Cost Prescriptions
• Free Wigs and Fabric Supports
• Healthy Start
• Help with Health Costs
• Help with Travel Costs to Hospital
• Incapacity Benefit
• Income Support
• Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit
• Jobseeker's Allowance
• Maternity Benefits
• Help with Optometrist Charges
• Severe Disablement Allowance
• Statutory Sick Pay

Other sources of information include:

  Money, tax and benefits

Comprehensive information from the ''Directgov'' website.

  turn2us

turn2us is a charity launched in 2007 that offers an online service to help the millions of people in need in the UK. From their website, people can access information on all benefits and grants available to them from both statutory and voluntary organisations, at no cost. In many cases, applications for support can be made directly from the website.

  Citizens Advice Bureaux

Their main site provides all you want to know about the Citizens Advice Bureaux and your local office but their associated site - advice guide - gives comprehensive information on benefits.

  Healthy Start

Healthy Start gives pregnant women and children under 5 in low income families vouchers for free milk, fresh fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk.

  Family Fund

The Family Fund champion an inclusive society where families with severely disabled or seriously ill children have choices and the opportunity to enjoy ordinary life. They help families of disabled or seriously ill children under 16. They give grants and information related to the care of the child including holidays, leisure, laundry equipment, driving lessons and lots more. Range of information includes benefits, holidays, transport, taking care, after age 16 and more.

  Department for Work and Pensions

Comprehensive web-site giving advice on all aspects of benefits. Includes...

Benefit Enquiry Line - BEL

England, Wales and Scotland - Tel: 0800 88 22 00 Textphone: 0800 24 33 55
Northern Ireland - Tel: 0800 220 674 Textphone: 0800 243 787
For people with disabilities, their carers and representatives. It is part of the Department for Work and Pensions. BEL offers confidential advice and information on benefits and how to claim them. In addition they can also send out an extensive range of leaflets and claim packs, and help you to complete a claim form over the phone.

  FirstStop

Provides support and advice for seniors as well as an information service for carers covering care, housing, finance and rights both through their website and their telephone Advice Line - 0800 377 7070

  Barton Advice Centre

Barton Advice Centre (BAC) is an independent community advice and information centre, providing services to individuals who live locally in Barton, Headington and Risinghurst and throughout Oxfordshire. BAC provides specialist advice on welfare benefits, debt and general advice on a wide range of other issues.

  Citizens Advice Scotland

The Scottish Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux.

  Independent Living Funds

The Independent Living Funds (ILF) are two funds set up and financed by UK central government. The funds were set up as a national resource dedicated to the financial support of disabled people enabling them to choose to live in the community rather than residential care.

  The Warm Front Grant

Warm Front Scheme is Government-funded grant and it is for those who have an income related or disability related benefit. The grant is for improvements to the home to make it warmer, healthier and more energy-efficient.

  Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (Northern Ireland)

"The Mission of the Department of Health and Social Services is to improve the health and well-being of the people of Northern Ireland". Includes....

Disability and Carers Service

Part of the Department for Social Development in Northern Ireland. For people living in Northern Ireland. Telephone:

• Disability Living Allowance: 028 9090 6182
• Attendance Allowance: 028 9090 6178
• Carers Allowance: 028 9090 6186
• Textphone: 0800 243 787

 Social Security Agency (Northern Ireland)

The Northern Ireland Social Security Agency is an Executive Agency of the Department for Social Development. It was set up on 1 July 1991 and it''s main business is to assess and pay social security benefits and give advice and information about the schemes.

  Benefitsnow

Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance Self-Assessment and Information Service.

  Benefits and Work

Free downloadable guides to claiming disability living allowance, attendance allowance and incapacity benefit. Plus a wide range of benefits and employment related links and information.

 NHS costs and exemptions

Details about entitlement to help with health costs (NHS prescription and dental charges, optical and hospital travel costs).

  Lisson Grove Benefits Program - Benefits Information System

This resource is believed to be the largest independent information resource about the UK Benefits System currently available on the web.

  Low Income Scheme

The NHS Business Services Authority's Patient Services administers the NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS) on behalf of the Department of Health for England, the Scottish Executive Health Department and the National Assembly for Wales. The Scheme provides income related help with health costs for people who are not exempt, nor automatically entitled to remission from NHS chargeable services, but who may nevertheless be entitled to help with costs on low income grounds.

  AFTAID - Aid for the Aged in Distress

Gives direct financial relief to older people who, because of ineligibility or, who are receiving partial funding through statutory or voluntary services, fall through the 'safety net'. The charity is concerned first and foremost with helping older people to cope in their own homes, by making cash grants towards the cost of necessary equipment or other exceptional expenditure.

  Universal Beneficent Society

Universal Beneficent Society (UBS) exists to alleviate the problems faced by the most disadvantaged and isolated older people, especially those living alone in inner-city areas. They provide to those in need lifelong friendship and financial support.

  IndependentAge

Their main aim is to help older people on low incomes to live with dignity and peace of mind by providing grants etc.

  Elizabeth Finn Care

Elizabeth Finn Care helps British or Irish people who are suffering the devastating effects of having too little money to pay for the things they really need. They give grants and information just when it’s needed most - when careers have been interrupted or ended through physical or mental problems, loss of work, family breakdown or old age.

  Piggy's Bankruptcy Site

This site not only provides information and resources for people who are thinking about filing bankruptcy but also those looking to avoid bankruptcy. There is also help for people who are seeking more general debt advice or have been discharged from bankruptcy.

  Care Calculator

The Care Calculator aims to provide general information about social care provision for adults in the UK.

  Social Care Association

Founded in 1949, the SCA is the leading professional voice for all staff groups in the Social Care service, wherever they work. The main aim of the Association is to promote high standards in Social Care services. See their links section for links to many organisations related to social care.

  Weasel Words

A mass of comment and information on the British Social Services.

  Community Care.co.uk

CommunityCare.co.uk is a specialist website dedicated to all areas of the social care profession.