Benefits For Disabled People

[iloveglee]

I wonder if anyone can give me some information, or lead to me where i can get information that you can understand about disability benefits, and what they are; specifically entitlement to free prescriptions.

My friend has a son with fragile x therefore he has quite a severe learning disability. He does work, clearing up in a local cafe, but only for 12 hours, on minimum pay so doesn't earn much. She is a pensioner, on a basic pension (she is on her own), and she gets a carers allowance for looking after him as he couldn't live alone. He gets no benefits in his own right, paid to him and she doesn't know if he is entitled to any. I think he should be, and i would have been able to guide her once upon a time, but the changes in the benefits system seem to deliberately make it almost impossible to understand.

Fortunately he is physically very fit, and rarely attends the doctor. Recently he had a chest infection and needed antibiotics. Although she never overstates his disabilities, rather she encourages his abilities, but he is aware that he is disabled. He believed he was entitled to free prescriptions and let the pharmacy tick that box. Clearly they thought so too. After a few weeks they had a letter fining him £50 for claiming a free prescription to which he wasn't entitled. Once upon a time she would have been onto it but a couple of years ago she had a stroke and has lost a lot of confidence. I didn't know anything about this until after she had paid it or I'd have offered to help her look into it.

We have discussed her contacting social services for some help and assistance, or guidance at least, but she is of that generation who are very reluctant to allow social services into their lives!

[windywillow]

It's not a benefit for disabled people as such, but please check that your friend applies (if she qualifies) for the warm home fuel discount.

It will depend on her supplier as they are not all in the warm home discount scheme, but at £140, it is worth looking into.

[iloveglee]

PIP is quite complex, they would certainly need help with this.

I'll try and find out about the warm home for her

Thanks for all the help and links. plenty to go at

[scorpiojo]

https://www.fragilex.org.uk/benefits

[TonyV]

Although you are going to seek some help in PIP application here is some advice on filling the form in, so some preparation can be made for what's required.

https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/help-with-your-claim/fill-in-form/

[iloveglee]

Lots of really useful information. thanks for taking the trouble to share this. plenty of reading matter to go at!!