Money

Disability

In this section, you will find information about local authority services, adapting your home, support agencies, and equipment.

Benefits and financial help

You can find information on GOV.UK website about financial help if you are disabled. Further information about independent financial information and advice (including help in a crisis or emergency situation) can also be found on the Connect to Support website.

There is a wide range of disability-related financial support, including benefits, tax credits, payments, grants and concessions. Check here if you are facing immediate financial crisis.

The main disability and sickness benefits are:

  • Disability Living Allowance or Personal Independence Payment. Personal Independence Payment is replacing Disability Living Allowance. Personal Independence Payment (PIP) may help with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability if you’re aged 16 to 64. You’ll need an assessment to establish whether you are eligible and the level of help you may be entitled to. Your rate will be regularly reassessed to make sure you’re getting the right support. Eligibility and Assessment processes apply. You can find more information here.
  • Armed Forces Independence Payment (AFIP) is an alternative to Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Disability Living Allowance (DLA) you cannot get both payments for the same period. You must be entitled to a Guaranteed Income Payment (GIP) of 50% or higher through the Armed Forces Compensation Scheme (AFCS) to be eligible for an AFIP. If you are not sure of the rate of your GIP you can contact the Service Personnel and Veterans Agency (SPVA) helpline on 0800 169 2277. You can find more information here.
  • Attendance Allowance. You could get £54.45 or £81.30 a week to help with personal care because you’re physically or mentally disabled and you’re aged 65 or over. Attendance Allowance is paid at 2 different rates and how much you may receive depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability. Eligibility and Assessment processes apply. You can find more information here.
  • Employment and Support Allowance: If you’re ill or disabled, Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) may offer you financial support if you’re unable to work, and personalised help so that you can work if you’re able to. You can apply for ESA if you’re employed, self-employed or unemployed. You might be transferred to ESA if you’ve been claiming other benefits like Income Support or Incapacity Benefit. You must go to a Work Capability Assessment while your ESA claim is being assessed. This is to see to what extent your illness or disability affects your ability to work. You’ll then be placed in 1 of 2 groups if you’re entitled to ESA. These are:
    • work-related activity group, where you’ll have regular interviews with an adviser
    • support group, where you don’t have interviews
    How much ESA you get depends on:
    • your circumstances, e.g. income
    • the type of ESA you qualify for
    • where you are in the assessment process
    Depending on your circumstances, you might also be able to receive:
    • Industrial Injuries Benefit if you’re disabled as a result of work.You can find more information about this benefit here.
    • Constant Attendance Allowance if you need daily care and attention because of a disability (see above)
  • VAT relief on certain goods and services: You don’t have to pay VAT on certain goods and services if they’re just for your own use and you’re disabled or have a long term illness. More information is available on the GOV.UK website.
  • If you’ve served in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces: If you’ve been injured or disabled while serving in Her Majesty’s Armed Forces, you may be able to receive:
    • War Disablement Pension
    • Constant Attendance Allowance
    • Armed Forces Compensation Scheme
  • Severely Sight Impaired: If you are registered severely sight impaired (blind), you may be entitled to additional benefits including an increased personal tax allowance and a reduction in television license fees. More information is available in the Visual Impairment section of this website.

If you require independent advice or support in applying for disability related benefits. The following services and organisations may be supportive.

  • DIAL Wakefield advises and provides information on a number of aspects of welfare rights and benefits for disabled people. They can also advise on the benefits mandatory reconsideration and appeals dispute process.
  • Disability and Carer Service provides financial support to customers claiming disability benefits and their carers.
  • Jobcentre Plus provides services that support people of working age from welfare into work, and helps employers to fill vacancies. You can find information about Jobcentre Plus here.
  • Turn2us is an organisation that helps people access money available to them through welfare benefits, grants and other help.
  • Wakefield Citizens Advice Bureau provides free impartial and independent advice about benefits, either face-to-face, telephone, email or online.
Last reviewed: 10/04/2015