If you, your partner or a dependent has a disability, we may be able to help you. Usually, we offer assistance after you are already receiving some form of financial help from your local authority.
If what you are receiving is not enough to cover all of your costs, generally we can offer a grant toward your costs. Sometimes, if it is more appropriate, we may give you a long-term low-interest loan.
Help to adapt your home
Making physical adaptations to your home can ease the situation and make a big difference in the quality of life.
Adaptations include changes to your house that guarantee accessibility, such as the installation of wheelchair ramps, stairlifts, level-access showers, widening of door frames or improving ground-floor facilities.
Ben and Bridie Shields
When Bridie Shields was diagnosed with dementia, life became very hard for husband Ben. We stepped in to adapt the house, and installed a ground floor bathroom and bedroom to make life a bit easier.
Local authorities have a statutory responsibility to help people with a disability to live independently at home through awarding a disabled facilities grant.
Before we can help you, you need to provide us with a letter from your local authority indicating that you have applied for a disabled facilities grant and outlining the extent of assistance they will be giving you, if any.
If the amount of help they are giving you does not cover the full cost of the equipment you need, we may be able to help you pay the additional cost.
If you haven’t already had a visit from an occupational therapist to assess your situation, we will arrange one for you.
We can also help out financially if there is an excessive delay in getting the equipment you need from your local authority.
Need our help? Apply for help online or call our support line on 0800 169 2942.
Equipment
Care equipment such as the items listed below can make a big difference to a person’s comfort and autonomy:
- electrically operated orthopaedic beds
- electrically operated riser and recliner chairs
- electrically operated bath lifts
- specialised computer equipment
- other equipment such as hoists, speech synthesisers, light-writers and nebulisers
Your local authority’s social services department has a duty to provide any equipment which they feel is essential to meet your care needs, so we will ask you to ensure they are providing everything they should.
We can advise on the application and assessment procedure and may be able to help provide the equipment if you do not meet the eligibility criteria.
Need our help? Apply for help online or call our support line on 0800 169 2942.
Mobility
If you need a mobility scooter or a wheelchair, you can turn to us for help. In conjunction with a commercial supplier, we provide an all-inclusive service that includes an assessment by an occupational therapist, purchase and delivery.
Tony Rogers
When WWII pilot, Tony Rogers, had a stroke we provided him with a mobility scooter to help him get out and about.
Powered wheelchairs and scooters are normally given on a “loan” basis whereas manual wheelchairs are provided as grants.
Please see Factsheet K on the loan of electric wheelchairs and scooters (PDF 10KB) by the RAF Benevolent Fund for further information.
Before applying for a wheelchair, you’ll need to approach the NHS for a wheelchair first.
Or, if you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance or the War Pensioners Mobility Supplement, you should apply for an electrically powered wheelchair or scooter through the Motability powered wheelchair and scooter scheme.
We may be able to help you pay for the deposit of a Motability vehicle, whether it’s a standard vehicle or specialised wheelchair, or with paying for adaptations, such as wheelchair hoists, steering wheel aids or hand controls.
For details about costs, call Motability customer services at 0845 456 4566. Please note that we will need a report from a Mobility assessment centre to confirm that a specialist vehicle or adaptation is needed.
Need our help? Apply for help online or call our support line on 0800 169 2942.
