Financial Matters

Caring for a child with a disability can require extra resources and thus put a strain on the family budget.  There is a variety of allowances available for families with children who have special needs and there are also agencies and charities that can help with grants where appropriate.  Every family’s circumstances will be different so it is always worth obtaining advice about individual situations.

Allowances / Benefits

You may be entitled to the following allowances.  For confirmation about entitlement, please contact the relevant numbers, on the following pages.

• Carer’s allowance
• Disability Living Allowance
• Mobility allowance
• Hospital travel costs
• Road Car Tax exemption
• VAT relief on special equipment
• Disabled child premium (paid with income support)
• Range of tax credits
• Income support
• Housing benefit
• Council Tax benefit
• Direct payments
• Education Maintenance Allowance

Benefits Enquiry Line

Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action (BFVA)

Carer’s Allowance

Children’s Information Centre

Christians Against Poverty

Citizens Advice Bureau

Disability Living Allowance and mobility component

Disabled Children Team

Education Maintenance Helpline

Hospital travel costs

Contact the individual hospital for assistance.
See Health section for telephone numbers.

Housing and Council Tax Benefit - Bracknell Forest

Income Support

Jobcentre Plus

This is the new combined Job Centre and Benefits Agency for Bracknell.

Road Car Tax Exemption

Tax Credit Helpline

VAT Relief On Car Adaptations Or Other Special Equipment

Direct Payments

These are payments that are paid in lieu of services from the Social Services department.  They are paid to parents or carers of children with special needs who meet the criteria for a service from the department.  The money can be used to pay for resources such as short breaks, day care placements and other leisure services.  The aim is to give parents or carers more flexibility and choice over the provision of a service.  The payments cannot be used for services that are provided by the council.

The provision of a direct payment is made after an assessment by a worker in the Disabled Children Team.  Where appropriate, assistance and guidance will be given to set up a payment.  For further information, or to request an assessment, please contact:

Emily Moore
Direct Payments Development Worker
Bracknell Forest Borough Council

There is also a useful leaflet about direct payments called A Parent’s Guide to Direct Payments.  This is available free from the Department for Education and Skills:

Grants

Carer’s Grant

This grant is funded by the Department of Health, for those caring for children and adults with severe disabilities.  It is intended to enable the carers to have a break from caring, on a planned basis, by providing funds for the care of the disabled person.  It is not intended to cover emergency situations.

Applications are made to the Carer’s Grant Panel, which is convened by Bracknell Forest Voluntary Action (BFVA).  The panel is made up of representatives from carers’ support groups in Bracknell Forest.  There is no financial assessment but grant limits do apply.  For further details and/or an application form, please contact BFVA on the Carer’s Grant line:

Disabled Facilities Grant

See entry in Social Services and Housing section.

Warm Front Grant

See entry in Social Services and Housing section.

The Family Fund

4 Alpha Court
Monks Cross Drive
Huntingdon
York
YO32 9WN

The Family Fund is the largest independent grant-giving organisation, helping families in the UK caring for a severely disabled child/children living at home.  The Fund supports families through the provision of grants that relate to the need of their disabled child or young person, provided the family meets the Fund’s grant-making criteria.

Grants must relate to the disabled child's needs and can only be offered for children and young people aged 15 and under.

The Fund works with an annual fixed budget and there is no entitlement to help from the Fund.  Grants are discretionary and subject to funds being available.  The Family Fund cannot assist where there is responsibility on a statutory agency to help with the requested item.

The Fund’s criteria is set and regularly reviewed by the Board of Trustees.

Berkshire Community Foundation

Carole Allen
Arlington Business Park
Theale, Reading
RG7 4SA

Since 1985, the Foundation has been building a Community Capital Fund to provide grants to small voluntary groups that tackle needs at the grassroots of our local community, both now and in the future.

Any small voluntary organisation or group established for charitable purposes can apply.  Statutory organisations and individuals cannot apply.  You do not have to be a registered charity to apply, but you should have a structure which will provide for monitoring of activity and feedback to the Foundation.

The Foundation aims to support the smaller groups who are doing vital work but who have real difficulties in raising funds.

MoMo Fund

Laurel House
Ransom Wood Business Park
Southwell Road West
Mansfield
Nottinghamshire
NG21 0ER

This is a fund, set up by Mo Mowlam, to help people in need who fit into one of two categories: recovering and ex-drug users or families caring for children and adults who are disabled.  It is not means tested but all applicants must have a letter of support from a recognised agency or service, explaining why money is required.  Up to £300 can be paid for a range of services or activities including respite care, leisure activities or other one-off costs.  The fund is operated by volunteers and the telephone is linked to an answering service.  All calls are returned within 24 hours.  Applications are submitted to a board of trustees and are processed as soon as possible.  For further details and an application form, contact the fund administrator on the above number.

Contents of the guide:

Introduction
1. Access
2. Advocacy
3. Counselling
4. Early Years
5. Education
6. Equipment, Mobility and Transport
7. Financial Matters
8. Health
9. Holidays
10. Information Technology
11. Leisure
12. Local Support
13. National Organisations
14. Publications
15. Short Breaks
16. Social Services and Housing
17. Transition
18. Working Parents/Carers

Index