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Financial Information

Financial Information
for the Disabled

Direct Payments

Direct Payments are available to disabled adults and children if they have been assessed by Social Services as needing care and support.

The money may be used to buy care and other services giving you control as to how the support is delivered.

Following an assessment a resource allocation will be calculated based on your needs.

As the money is from your local council a financial assessment will be undertaken for the adult needing care. Depending on income a contribution may be required.

Services are free for disabled children and their families.

There are a number of useful guides and information:

Wales - A Guide to Direct Payment in Wales

Scotland - Direct Payments Factsheet

Northern Ireland - Direct Payments

Children

Contact a Family produce a factsheet on Personal Budgets for children which includes Direct Payments.

Adults

Direct Payments Quick Guide - from Carers UK

Easy Read Guides

Easy Read Guide to Direct Payments (Northern Ireland)

A Guide to getting Direct Payments from your council - this is an archived booklet but the bulk of the content is still relevant.

Local Welfare Assistance Schemes

Local Welfare Assistance Schemes (LWAS) replaced the Community Care grants and crisis loans for living expenses in 2013.

These schemes are designed to help people who are in urgent need following an emergency or unforeseen event.

The Child Poverty Action Group has created a new free search facility for LWAS by postcode for England and Scotland providing a one stop resource for anyone in crisis or in need of emergency help.

Just enter the postcode in the search box or alternatively use the A-z of Local Welfare Schemes.

www.cpag.org.uk

Mental Health and Debt Guide

A free downloadable guide produced by MoneySavingExpert.com supported by Mind, Rethink, CAPUK and others, for people with mental health problems and those caring for them.

It provides tips on how to cut your debt using real life case studies to show how to excape from debt and work with banks. The guide covers your rights and protections and whether to declare your condition.

www.moneysavingexpert.com

Money Advice Service

The Money Advice Service is a not for profit government organisation created solely to help people with their finances.

It helps people manage their money through a free and impartial advice service.

There is specific advice for anyone with a disability and carers.

www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk

Transition and Family Finance

Working Families have produced a booklet "From Child to Adult: A guide to disability, transition and family finance".

It outlines what the young person and their family are entitled to and how this may change during the transition period of 16,17,18 or 19 years. A "Better Off" calculation is included to help you decide on the best options for your family.

www.workingfamilies.org.uk