Financial assistance

Visit the Contact a Family site for advice on benefits available to you, and parents and carers. It covers the Disabled Living Allowance, Carers Allowance, Income Support, Income-based Job Seekers Allowance and many others.
Whizz Kids is also a mine of useful information on benefits.
Scope has excellent sections on education, living and work.

In a nutshell, as far as the benefits system is concerned, you are a ‘child’ until your sixteenth birthday. Then you suddenly become an ‘adult’, entitled to claim benefits on your own behalf.

If you need help getting around or looking after yourself, you should qualify for a Disability Living Allowance (DLA). This isn’t means tested. You can claim if you’re over 16. Parents or carers can claim it if you are under 16. If anyone, (including Benefits Agency staff, GP, a nurse or social worker) told your parents not to make a claim because you are not ill enough, they should get a second opinion from a professional welfare rights worker. If in doubt, they should make a claim.

Direct Payments mean that instead of social care services from your local authority, you get the equivalent amount of money and buy in your own support package. Many people use this to employ a personal assistant. You have control over everything, including who cares for you, when and how. You can employ different carers for different things. One of our Friends with ataxia has a ‘Chelsea carer’ who helps him get to football matches in the UK and Europe.

Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs) are paid on top of standard student support to students whose studies cost more because of a disability. DSAs don’t depend on family income, don’t have to be repaid and don’t affect any other benefits.

If you are 16 or over, you become eligible for Disability Living Allowance as an adult. If you’ve been told by anyone that you won’t qualify, do still check with a professional welfare rights worker. You can claim DLA even if you work or are claiming any other benefits.

If you want to see your story, poem, ideas or review here, email alex@ataxia.org.uk.

Helpline: 0845 644 0606

Financial assistance