Money

Benefits

Once you start training or employment, there may be some additional benefits that you are entitled to. The following information is a rough guide to what money may be available to you.

Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA)

If you are thinking of staying on to study at college after you finish school, then you might be able to get some help through Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA).

EMA is a weekly payment of £10, £20, or £30 a week depending on your household income. The money is intended to help with the day-to-day costs of staying at school or college e.g. travel, books and equipment.

You could also get bonuses of £100 depending on the progress you make with your learning programme, and if you come back for a second year that’s £500 potential extra money over the two years.

To qualify for EMA your household income must be below £30, 810 per year, be aged 16 to 18 and on a full time learning programme in a school, college of at a training provider. For more details on who is eligible please contact the Education Maintenance Allowance helpline on 0808 10 16219.

And remember, EMA will not affect any other benefits that your family might get. It is paid on top of any other support provided by the government, or earnings from your part-time job.

If you have any queries or you would like to request an application form, contact the EMA Helpline on 0808 10 16219 or visit the website www.dfes.gov.uk/financialhelp/ema.

Council Tax Rebate

You or your carer may be able to get a reduction in Council tax. If you have a disability that means you need the use of a special or extra room, or extra space for a wheelchair, then you may qualify for a reduction. If you qualify, your Council Tax will be reduced by one band. For example if you live in band C, you will be charged at the band B rate. If you live in a band A property, you can still apply for a reduction.

For further details on this exemption contact the helpline on 01453 754865. For details of all the County Councils council tax exemptions and discounts contact 01285 623033.

Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for a person aged 16 or over

If you have been entitled for this benefit, your parent/carer would have been in receipt of this benefit for you, and may continue to do so. Once you reach the age of 16, you can claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for yourself if you wish to do so as long as you meet the criteria.

DLA is for people who need help with looking after themselves (care component) and/or for people who find it difficult to walk or get around (mobility). It is tax- free and the amount you get is not affected by any savings you may have. DLA is paid at different rates depending on how your disability affects you.

To claim contact 08457 123456 for a DLA form, or you can telephone the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882200. Both send the forms out date-stamped so you will get the benefit backdated to the time you made the call.

Housing Benefit

This benefit is dealt with by your local council and is to help people on a low income with paying their rent. This is paid to private and council tenants. People in receipt of income support (see below) are automatically entitled to the maximum amount of Housing Benefit available.

If you are going to claim Income Support or Jobseekers Allowance you will get the forms with your claim pack. If you do not claim Income support or Jobseekers Allowance you can get forms for Housing Benefit from your local council. If you need help with this, contact The Key on 01452 336104.

Income Support (IS)

This is a benefit to help people on low incomes. Any savings you may have will affect the amount of Income Support you will get. You can get Income Support when you are 16, and if you are not working or working on average less than 16 hours a week.

You will not have to attend the Jobcentre if you have a disability. If you are in receipt of the highest rate of Disability Living Allowance for care, you will usually be able to get more Income Support.

If you are entitled to Income Support then you will automatically be entitled to the maximum amount of Housing Benefit available, if you have to pay rent (see above).

You may be able to get Income Support when you are studying if you have a disability or are registered blind. In some cases you may even get Income Support whilst you’re at school, if you have a severe disability. For more information, contact your local Benefits Agency. If you need help with this, contact The Key on 08456 583857.

Working Tax Credit (WTC)

You can claim for Working Tax Credit (WTC) if;

• You are aged 16 or over and work at least 16 hours a week and you have a disability which puts you at a disadvantage of getting a job
• You are getting or recently have been getting a qualifying allowance (like Disability Living Allowance)

Tax credits are made up by adding together different amounts of money, that are awarded depending upon your circumstances. For example;

Tax Credit = Working Element (£10) + Disability Element (£10) + Severe Disability Element (£10) = Total £30

There is an additional disability element and a severe disability element for those people who are working and have a disability. So if you have a severe disability your credit will be made up of a working element, and disability element and a severe disability element, like in the example above (Note – the numbers aren’t accurate).

Help with Health Costs

All NHS treatment for you is free until the age of 16. Once you reach 16 you can get help with your health costs if you get:

• Income Support
• Working Tax Credit with a disability element
• You are named on a tax credit NHS Exemption Certificate

You need to ask for form HC1 and you can get this form from The Key on 08456 583857 or Guide & PALS on 08456 583888. You can also get the form HC5 (for refunds) from The Key/Guide & PALS

There may be other benefits that you are entitled to. If you are not sure, please go and speak to an adviser at your local Jobcentre Plus or Benefits Agency. The following organisation can also help:

Benefit Enquiry Line

This is a helpline for disabled people, carers or representatives. Offers confidential advice and information on benefits and how to claim them. Contact 0800 882200.

Help with Studying

If you are going to stay on after school and study at college, you might be able to get some money whilst you are studying.

Income Support

Income Support is a benefit to help people on a low income, and who are not working, or working less than sixteen hours per week.

If you are studying, you may be able to get Income Support while you are on your course if you have a disability or are registered blind. You may even be able to get Income Support whilst you are still at school if you have a severe disability.

Contact your local Social Security Office. If you need help to find out details of your local office, contact The Key on 08456 583857.

Financial Support for 16-19 year olds

Fees - You will not normally have to pay tuition fees if you are under 19 years of age, unless attending an independent specialist college.

Travelling Expenses

You will not automatically be entitled to free home to school transport once you reach the age of sixteen. If you have to travel over three miles away from home you may be able to get some assistance from the Education Authority, only if the college or designated college is the nearest one providing the course.

If you have a disability this will be taken into account, as well as any benefits that you may be in receipt of (e.g. DLA). If you qualify for help and you or your family get any benefits like Income Support, or Working Tax Credit, you should qualify for a free bus pass. Always check this out before making any commitments to a school or college. For further details please contact John Mayellon 01452 425390.

Disabled Students Allowance

You may be able to apply for a Disabled Students Allowance if you are attending a full-time or even for some part-time courses. You may even be able to receive Disabled Students Allowance if you go on to study at postgraduate level.

If you would like to apply for DSA, you must first provide medical evidence of your disability, usually a medical certificate from your doctor or specialist. If you have a specific learning difficulty, you will need to provide an educational psychologists report undertaken since the age of 16. Please note that there is no provision for the DSA scheme to meet the cost of providing this evidence, although your college may be able to assist you with these costs.

You will need to undertake a medical assessment of your disability by a suitably qualified person or body, such as an Educational Psychologist in the case of dyslexia. The cost of the medical assessment will not be met from the Disabled Students Allowance.

If you qualify there are three different grants that you can access:

• Special Equipment Allowance – up to £4,565 for the whole of the course.
• Non-Medical Helpers Allowance – up to £11,550 each year.
• General Allowance – up to £1,525 each year

You may also get a travelling allowance, for which there is no set amount. The amount awarded depends upon individual circumstances.

The allowances are intended to help you benefit as fully as possible from your course. Theses allowances are not means-tested, which means that any savings you have is not taken into account.

For further details, or to check eligibility please contact Mike Wilks, DSA Officer on 01452 425391.