Extra Support

If you have a Disability Payment Award, you could apply for:

Help with the Cost of your Home

A disability premium on your housing benefit, which can increase the amount you already get.  

You may also be able to get a council tax reduction where your bill is reduced, a reduction in your council band , this would see you go from a band “D” to “C” for example, or discount on your council tax bill for any severely mentally impaired people in your home.  

Travel Costs

Car travel 

With an award of the enhanced rate of adult disability payment, Personal Independence Payment or Disability Living Allowance mobility component or higher rate of mobility component for Child Disability payment you could apply for:  

You, or your nominated driver, can apply for a 50% vehicle tax reduction if you get the standard rate mobility component of Adult Disability Payment or Personal Independence Payment. This reduction does not apply if you get the lower rate of mobility for DLA.  

Bus travel 

If you have an award of Child Disability Payment of either: 

  • higher rate mobility component 
  • middle or highest rate care component 

Or any rate of Adult Disability Payment, you can apply for a disabled person’s bus pass. This gives you free bus travel all over Scotland.  

And if you get either: 

  • Child Disability Payment – middle or highest rate care component 
  • Adult Disability Payment – standard or enhanced rate daily living component 

A companion can travel for free with you.  

Rail travel 

Discounted rail travel, for you and a companion. Please note there is a charge for this.   

Free school transport 

You may qualify for free school transport if your child has additional support needs or mobility issues.  

Blue Badge 

If you get Adult Disability Payment or PIP, which includes either: 

  • 8 points or more in the moving around activity 
  • 12 points in the planning and following a journey activity 
  • enhanced rate mobility awarded under special rules for terminal illness 

Or you have a child entitled to the higher rate mobility component of Child Disability Payment or DLA. You or your nominated driver could apply for a Blue Badge parking permit. 

If you do not have an award of the above you may still qualify if your mobility is impaired.  

If you are awarded a Blue Badge you may also qualify for a disabled car parking space. 

Extra Payment of Your Benefits

If you claim any of these benefits: 

You may qualify for extra payments when you receive an award of Adult or Child Disability payments. You should advise the Department for Works and Pensions when you receive your disability award.  

Tax Credits and Childcare

If you are already in receipt of tax credits you may qualify extra payments for a child in receipt of Child Disability Payments, even where that child is exempt from payments due to the 2 child limit.  

If you are an adult who is in receipt of Adult Disability Payments this could mean you qualify for working tax credits or extra working tax credits if your disability limits the type of job and hours you can work. 

You should let HMRC know about the disability award within a month, or they will not backdate your tax credits to the date of your award and you could lose out on payments.  

You may also qualify for a more Tax-Free Childcare. 

Cinema Costs

A CEA card allows a companion to accompany the disabled person to the cinema, please note there is a charge for this card.  

Companion Tickets

Most attractions and ticket companies offer free companion tickets for those with disabilities. Please see attractions’ own policies to see if you would qualify.

If you are on certain benefits, you may be able to get extra help with:

Benefits to Help Families

Social Security Scotland offer Five Family Payments 

  • Best Start Foods – a pre-paid card from pregnancy up to when a child turns three for families on certain benefits to help buy healthy food 
  • Scottish Child Payment – paid every four weeks to help towards the costs of looking after each child under 16 for families who get certain benefits 

If you are family on a low income you may qualify for a school clothing grant and free school meals.  Many schools offer swap-shop type schemes where you can pick up items of school uniform for free.  

Heating Benefits

With the cost-of-living crisis having a huge impact on the cost of heating our homes there is some assistance you may be able to claim: 

  • Child Winter Heating Payment - a payment to help families of a child on the highest rate care component of Disability Living Allowance for Children to heat their homes. 
  • Winter Heating Payment - A yearly payment to help people on low income benefits who might have extra heating needs during the winter.  
  • Winter Fuel Payment for those born before 25 September 1957, this payment should be made automatically by the Department of Works and Pensions.   
  • Warm home discount scheme a one-off payment towards your winter electricity bill. This will be paid automatically if you are in receipt of the Guarantee Credit element of Pension credit. You can claim for this payment if you have a low income in Scotland: get certain means-tested benefits or tax credits, and the criteria determined by your energy supplier. To check whether your supplier is part of the scheme you can find the list here: https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme/energy-suppliers or speak directly to your supplier.  
  • Home Energy Scotland can assist with energy saving tips and resources to make sure you can heat your home as efficiently as possible. You can apply for energy saving measures whether you rent privately or own your home. They can also advise on local schemes and grants you may be able to claim.  

Health Costs

If you are on certain benefits or on a low income you can get help with costs incurred from dental or optician appointments, you can also claim back travel costs for hospital appointments. 

More information and how to apply can be found here.  

Internet Costs

If you are on certain benefits you may qualify for a social tariff on your broadband, Money Saving Expert has more information.  

 

Grants 

You may be able to apply for a one-off grant to help with debts, a holiday or items around the home.  

If you have any questions about the above, please get in touch with our Financial Wellbeing Officer