Learn More About the U.K. Disability

Disability Care Allowance is a mandatory benefit currently in the United Kingdom. It is paid to anyone who takes care of a disabled relative for more than 35 hours per week. Invalid care allowance was introduced initially in 1976. Married women weren’t allowed to receive it. This program has grown to include all types disabilities over time. This benefit comes in three levels.

The first level or silver band is for those with serious disabilities that cannot be corrected, or who have a chronic physical condition which requires constant assistance. It covers expenses such housekeeping, physiotherapy, diet aids, and other household chores. A disability care allowance won’t pay for: swimming lessons or music lessons, writing, teaching, advising, companionship or occupational therapy, or any other form of personal care assistance. However, benefits that are specifically provided under the legislation for the United Kingdom or European Community such as child care services and care in an assisted living facility, or a disability support melbourne on mental health, are not excluded. Even though they might not need the same level of care as the elderly, disabled people can still claim care allowance benefits.

The second level, or bronze band, is for people who may be eligible to receive the third band of benefits – the invalid care allocation. Under the United Kingdom system, people are eligible if they need assistance with activities of daily living such as bathing, dressing, eating, walking, moving about and similar daily activities. They may also claim disability care allowance benefits if they suffer from an impairment which significantly limits their functioning in their daily lives. These include mental impairments, physical impairments, and the presence or severity of a medical condition. In order to be eligible, the applicant must have received social security for at most one year.

The fourth band corresponds to the gold scale. The highest brackets of the disability care allowance have the right to receive a higher allowance. They will receive more personal care allowances than they are entitled to. The maximum rate is fifty percent of the weekly wages. However, students and those with low incomes can get a higher rate. This is an essential benefit for many disabled people as it helps them maintain a certain standard of living.

The final category is PIP. The personal injury personal allocation payments are higher because it requires more support and care than the other bands. The applicant will be eligible for PIP as long they can show that they are receiving benefits and paying for them to the right parties. Applicants must also meet other criteria such as age, education and work experience.

Contact your local unemployment agency or Social Security office to find out if you are eligible for the disability care allowance. If you do not qualify for the disability support, as mentioned earlier, you do not have to worry. There is always the option of applying for Job seeker’s Allowance. If you have completed an approved training course, you may also qualify for the Job seeker’s Allowance, as long as you have completed part of the training requirements. You may be eligible to apply instead for the monthly income assurance if you have a guaranteed lump sum income or indexed monthly income.

People who want to add this to their benefits package have many benefits. However, there are a few minor restrictions. You cannot add the disability allowance to your existing monthly personal car allowance. You cannot add it on to your Part A and Part B income supplements.

There are three types, universal, transitional and personal, of disability care allowances under federal law. If you are eligible for any of these allowances, you do not need to apply for a disability care allowance for each type separately. For example, if you have eligible for the Transition Allowances then you can apply for the Universal Allowances simultaneously. Similarly, if you have eligible for the Universal Allowances then you do not need to apply for the Personal Care Allowance separately. The U.K. has three types of care: universal and valid care, temporary disability, and invalid care.