Help with disabilities

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability, if you’re aged 16 to 64. There is other help available for different ages which you can see below. 
Children

Disability Living Allowance (DLA)

This is extra help if you have or care for a child or children under 16 years of age with a disability. There are two components – Daily Living Care and Mobility. The levels vary depending on the severity of the disability. Daily living care has three levels and Mobility has two levels. Your child or children could qualify for a combination of Daily Living Care and Mobility. For more information and how to ask for an application form, please click here.

Adults – age between 16 to state retirement age

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) helps with some of the extra costs caused by long-term ill-health or a disability, if you’re aged 16 to state retirement age.

Those aged 16 up to state retirement age with a disability can claim PIP.  If you had Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in place until you were 16, you will be asked to claim PIP once you turn 16. You can get help for your condition and there are two components: Daily Living Care and Mobility. How much you get is not only based on your condition, but how your condition affects you. You will need an assessment to work out the level of help you get. Your award will be regularly reassessed to make sure you are getting the correct level of support and that support can be a combination of Daily Living Care and Mobility. 

Existing adult claimants of DLA could be asked to claim PIP as some point.

You can find out more information about PIP on the Gov website. 

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) was a benefit people of all ages could claim, but in April 2013 there was a change in legislation and DLA started to be replaced by PIP. Some people over 16 and in receipt of the older style DLA claims, have not yet been asked to be reassessed for PIP. If you are in receipt of the older style DLA, you do not have to do anything unless you feel your condition has deteriorated. If you ask for your claim to be reassessed, you could be guided onto PIP.

Adults over state retirement age

Attendance Allowance (AA) 

If you are over state retirement age and have developed an illness, and are not in receipt of PIP or DLA, you can make a claim for AA.  AA has one component with two levels.

If you are successful with an AA claim, you could be entitled to Guaranteed Pension Credit; a higher level of Housing Benefit if you do not currently have your rent covered in full. You could receive a higher level of Council Tax Support if you do not have Council Tax covered in full. For more information and how to claim, please click here. 

You can find out more information about PIP on the Gov website.

 

Under occupancy or 'bedroom' tax

Bedroom tax posterThe bedroom tax, also known as under occupancy, applies to new and existing housing claimants of working age.

Some households may be paying 'bedroom tax' when they shouldn’t be. This may apply to you if you have been in your current tenancy since before 01/01/1996 and have continuously claimed housing benefit during this time.

You will be assessed by your local authority to establish the size of accommodation you reasonably need.

If you are deemed to be under-occupying your home, your housing benefit is reduced depending on the number of bedrooms you under-occupy by.

The reduction will be 14% for one spare bedroom and 25% for two or more spare bedrooms.

Bedroom tax calculator

Check how much you are likely to lose using the Citizens Advice Bedroom Tax calculator. You can see if you have a ‘spare’ bedroom according to new housing benefit regulations. The calculator will also show you how much housing benefit you could potentially lose.

Will I be affected by the bedroom tax?

You may be affected by the bedroom tax if:

  • you are of working age (under 61 years and 6 months in April 2013) you will be affected by the bedroom tax.

You will NOT be affected by the bedroom tax if:

  • you are a single person aged 61 years and 6 month or older before 6 April 2013 (that is, anyone born before 6 October 1951)
  • you live in a one-bedroom home or bedsit
  • you have a shared ownership property
  • you will be 61 years and 6 months after 6 April 2013 AND you are living with a partner of working age.
Ask yourself if you can make up the difference?

Check that you are receiving everything you are entitled to. If you want to stay at the property and think you can manage, you should make plans to put aside the extra money you will need.

Consider your options and seek advice

Everyone's situation is different. If you want to consider moving to a smaller property or a mutual exchange, contact your Housing Officer and look at Home Swapper.

If you have any concerns about the bedroom tax, please contact us to discuss them.