Benefits for you and your disabled child
The benefits and entitlements referred to are possible entitlements. You should seek independent advice before making a claim. You can find out more about benefits on this site.
Your situation:
- You care for a child with a long term illness, severe condition or disability who needs help with personal care and/or needs someone to make sure they are safe and/or needs someone to monitor their health.
Possible entitlement: Disability Living Allowance – care component.
- You care for a child who has difficulty walking because of a disability.
Possible entitlement: Disability Living Allowance – mobility component.
- You care for a child for 35 hours or more per week. Your child receives the middle or higher rate of the care component of Disability Living Allowance and if you work you earn less than £82 (2005-6).
Possible entitlement: Carer’s Allowance.
- You get Income Support or some other means tested benefit.
Possible entitlement: Carer's premium on means-tested benefit.
- You do not have enough to live on and are responsible for children.
Possible entitlement: Child Tax Credit
- Your child gets DLA at the higher rate of the care component.
Possible entitlement: There are tax credit enhancements for disabled children
- You don’t work or work less than 16 hours per week and are entitled to carer’s allowance.
Possible entitlement: Income Support including carer’s premium
- You work at least 16 hours per week and are a carer of a disabled child.
Possible entitlement: Working Tax credit
- You are on a low income and pay rent for where you live and are a carer and have a disabled child.
Possible entitlement: housing benefit and Council Tax benefit; Disabled Child Premium, Enhanced Disability Premium, Carer’s Premium
- Your home is accessible for your disabled child who needs to use a wheelchair indoors and/or you have a second bathroom or kitchen needed because of your child’s disability.
Possible entitlement: Disability reduction in council tax
- There is only one adult (you) living in your house.
Possible entitlement: single person discount on council tax
- You get Income Support or other means-tested benefits and have just had or about to have a baby.
Possible entitlement: Sure Start Maternity Grant
- You are responsible for paying for a funeral and are on means-tested benefits.
Possible entitlement: Funeral Payment
- You are on a low income and you need help with fares to visit someone in hospital.
Possible entitlement: Community Care Grant.
- You have a disabled child and have just moved into permanent accommodation and need help with essential household items (cooker, bedding).
Possible entitlement: Community Care Grant.
- You are on means-tested benefits and have an emergency or disaster.
Possible entitlement: Crisis Loan
- You are on means tested benefits and you need to buy essential household items.
Possible entitlement: Community Care Grant or Social Fund Loan
- Your child is severely disabled and you need help in buying extra clothing for your child or special toys or other equipment, holidays and so on.
Possible entitlement: The Family Fund
- Your child gets higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance and you need help to meet the costs of running a car, buy or lease a car or a wheelchair.
Possible entitlement: exemption from road tax, Motability scheme
- You need to park close to your destination and have a child with a disability that impedes their walking.
Possible entitlement: Blue Badge parking scheme.
Local support
National organisations
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