UK National Kidney Federation - Know Your Benefits - A Guide for Renal Patients and their Carers

Many Kidney Patients or their carers face financial difficulties – this is not unusual or surprising. Before seeking a grant, or other help from a charity, check to see whether you have claimed all the benefits available from the State. Check what benefits you may be able to get. Below are brief guidelines on some of the benefits to look for.

For further information on any of these benefits, see Contact numbers for advice on benefits in the DLA Information.

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP)

This is payable to someone who is incapable of work because of sickness or disability. It is only paid to someone who is employed and who earns more than the National Insurance lower earnings limit (currently £97 per week). When Statutory Sick Pay runs out or you stop being employed, you may be able to claim ESA.

Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)

ESA is a benefit paid to people whose ability to work is limited by ill health or disability.

It is a single benefit and is not simply because you are found to be incapable of work.

ESA is paid when you are found to have a limited capability for work. ESA claimants are divided into two separate groups, the “support group” and the “work related activity group”. The group you are placed in will determine the amount of ESA you receive and the responsibilities you will need to meet in order to keep receiving the benefit.

The support group: If you have a limited capability for work related activity under the WCA.

The work-related activity group: If you do not have a limited capability for work-related activity under the WCA.

Work Capability Assessment (WCA)

When you claim ESA you enter a 13 week “assessment phase” (with the exception of those who are terminally ill). During this period you will undergo a “work capability assessment”.

Benefits for those who work:

Working Tax Credit. You may be able to claim Working Tax Credit if you are disabled and work at least 16 hours a week. You must have a disability that makes it difficult to get a job. You must be receiving, or have recently received, a qualifying sickness or disability related benefit. However this may affect other income related benefits you get - for example Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit. Call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900.

Child Tax Credit. This is a payment to support families with children. It can be claimed by those responsible for at least one child or young person. The amount of the payment depends on your circumstances and income levels, but could include a baby element, disability element or severe disability element.

Job Grant (over 25s). You may claim this grant, which is a one-off payment, if you take up full-time work (at least 16 hours a week). You must have been claiming certain benefits for at least 26 weeks. You can spend the grant in whatever way you want, for example on new clothes or transport. If you are under 25 and are eligible for Jobseekers Allowance, the New Deal for Young People aims to help you get back into work through training and work experience.

Disability Living Allowance (over 16s)

If you are aged over 16 and under 65 and need help looking after yourself or getting around.

Disability Living Allowance (under 16s)

If a child under 16 and needs more help or looking after than other children of the same age because of their illness or disability.

Attendance Allowance

If you are aged over 65 and need help looking after yourself or getting around. If you have a physical disability (including sensory disability, such as blindness) and your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or someone to supervise you for your own, or someone else’s safety. Savings and other income are not usually affected. You may wish to ask someone from the Citizen’s Advice Bureau to assist you with the form.

Carers Allowance (CA) – formerly called Invalid Care Allowance

If you are aged 16 or over and spending at least 35 hours a week looking after someone who is getting or waiting to hear about getting Attendance Allowance or Disability Allowance at the middle or highest rate for personal care.

Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit

If you became disabled as a result of an accident at work or a disease known to be a risk of a job you have done, including deafness.

Housing Benefit

Council Tax Benefit

If you are on a low income, whether you are working or not, and need financial help to pay Council Tax. If you qualify for a disability reduction, that is if you or any other ‘resident’ in your home is ‘substantially or permanently disabled’. At least one of the following conditions must also be met:-

Help with NHS Health Costs

There can be charges for some treatment from the NHS and a leaflet has been produced by the NHS which outlines information about who does not have to pay charges and also explains the help you might get with costs if you are on a low income. You may be eligible for help with the following items:

If you would like a copy of the leaflet quote ‘HC11 – Help with health costs’. You can get a copy from DH Publications Online, contact details:

Travel Costs

You may be able to claim a refund under the “Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme” (HTCS) of the cost of travelling to hospital or other NHS premises for NHS-funded treatment or diagnostic test arranged by a doctor or dentist. If you are on entitled benefits or allowances you may be able to claim for use of a private car and parking charges (where unavoidable). The Hospital will tell you the mileage rate. It is recommended that you check with the Hospital PCT before travelling.

Blue Badge Scheme gives concessionary parking for people with severe mobility problems. You qualify automatically for a Blue Badge if you are registered blind or if you qualify for Higher Rate of the DLA mobility component. You may qualify if you have a permanent and substantial disability which means you are unable to walk or have considerable difficulty in walking. In this case a doctor may be asked to complete a form on your behalf.

London Congestion Charge (www.cclondon.com). There is 100% discount for Blue Badge holders. Registration of your car initially costs £10 and must be registered with the Transport for London (TfL) ten days before travelling. Once you have received a discount approval letter you can drive into the Congestion Charge zone without having to pay the standard daily charge.

Patients who are clinically assessed as being too ill to travel to an appointment on public transport may be eligible to claim a reimbursement of the Congestion Charge from their treating hospital. Be sure to keep your receipt so that you can reclaim.

Vehicle Excise Duty (car tax) exception You can apply for exemption from paying vehicle tax if you receive the higher rate of the mobility component of DLA.

Prescription Charges in the UK

Guidance on exemption from prescription charges is set out in leaflet HC11, Help with Health Costs. The leaflet is also published on the Department of Health website www.doh.gov.uk/nhscharges/hc11.htm

Any patient who has a permanent fistula which requires a surgical dressing or an appliance would be entitled to medical exemption if they have completed application form FP92A and a doctor has signed the form to confirm the condition (in this context, “permanent” is taken to mean “intended to last indefinitely”). Whether or not a dialysis patient has a permanent fistula which requires a surgical dressing or appliance is a matter for their doctor’s clinical judgement. We would expect the criteria to be met where there is a clinical need for a permanent fistula to be covered by a surgical dressing (for example between haemodialysis treatments) or by an appliance (such as a catheter for peritoneal dialysis).

Water Charges

If you are on a meter and suffer from certain medical conditions, including kidney failure requiring dialysis at home, and are on a low income or are a large family on a low income, you may be able to apply to have your bill capped – that is, there is a fixed ceiling applied to your bill and however much water you use, your bill cannot go above the average figure for your area.

Applications should be made to your local water company. You will need to tell them that you want to apply for the ‘Vulnerable Groups’ tariff. If eligible, your bill will be capped to the level of the average bill in the area. This will save you money if you would normally use more water than the average.

Grants – Local and Charitable

Your Renal Social Worker should be able to provide you with information on grants available in your area.

British Kidney Patients Association (BKPA)
3 Windmills
St. Mary’s Close
Turk Street
Alston
GU34 1EF

www.britishkidney-pa.co.uk

The BKPA is an established charity working to improve the quality of life for anyone with kidney disease.

They may be able to offer financial assistance to help with travel costs, holidays or further education and training.

For a BKPA leaflet on how to apply for a grant contact the NKF Helpline on (0845) 601 02 09.

Your Local Kidney Patient Association

There are Kidney Patient Associations all around the country who may be in a position to offer help to kidney patients at local level. To find your local KPA telephone the NKF Helpline on (0845) 601 02 09 for further details.

NHS Dental Treatment for Renal Patients

If you are looking for a NHS dentist in England, you can call NHS Direct on 0845 4647 or visit the NHS Choices website (www.nhs.uk) to find the NHS dental practices closest to where you live or work. If you have any subsequent difficulty accessing NHS dentistry in your area or have any special needs, NHS Direct and NHS Choices will be able to provide you with details of a local helpline number to support you in accessing NHS dental care.

If you are looking for a NHS dentist in Wales, you can call NHS Direct Wales on 0845 4647 or visit the NHS Direct Wales website (www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk) to find the NHS dental practices closest to where you live or work. If you have any subsequent difficulty accessing NHS dentistry in your area or have any special needs, NHS Direct Wales should be able to provide you with the number of your Local Health Board who will be able to help you in accessing NHS dental care.

The National Kidney Federation cannot accept responsibility for information provided. The above is for guidance only. Although this information was correct in August 2010, the coalition government are planning radical reforms to the UK State Benefit system.

FINANCIAL HELP TO HEAT YOUR HOME

If you are struggling financially to keep your home warm you could get a grant to make your home more energy efficient or repair or install a new heating system.

The Warm Front Scheme

Warm Front provides grants to help people on disability or income-related benefits pay for heating and insulation improvements. You may be eligible if:

Information taken from “Keep Warm, Keep Well” produced by HM Government. Booklet available from www.orderline.dh.gov.uk quote 289400 or DH Publications Orderline PO Box 777, London SE1 6XH E-mail: dh@prolog.uk.com Tel. 0300 123 1002. www.dh.gov.uk/publications

Help For Pensioners

Pension Credit

There are two types of Pension Credit. Guarantees Credit for those who have reached the minimum qualifying age and Savings Credit for those aged 65 and over.

Guarantee Credit will guarantee a minimum income of £132.60 a week for single people or £202.40 a week for couples.

The age from which you can get Guarantee Credit (the qualifying age) is gradually increasing from 60 to 65 between April 2010 and 2020.

For further details contact: 0800 99 1234.

Winter Fuel Payments

The qualifying age for both men and women is rising in line with the increase in Women’s state pension age.

To have reached the qualifying age for Winter Fuel Payment for winter 2010/11 you will need to be born on or before 5th July, 1950.

This is paid automatically if you are getting a state pension or other social security benefit (excluding housing benefit, council tax benefit and child benefit).

Social Tariffs

Energy suppliers may offer lower “social tariffs” to their most vulnerable customers. Discounts can be worth £200-£250 a year. For more information contact your energy supplier.

Other sources of financial support

Energy bills

Contact your energy supplier, as they may be able to offer you a special tariff or payment plan to help you stay on top of your bills

Consumer Direct

Consumer Direct is a government-funded service that offers clear, practical and impartial information and advice on consumer issues

The Home Heat Helpline

This is a free helpline that offers information on keeping warm using energy efficiently, cheaper payment schemes and grants for insulating your home

Energy Saving Trust

Provides free, impartial advice on making your home more energy efficient. They can also tell you about grants for implementing energy efficient measures that may be available in your local area

National Energy Action

This charity campaigns for affordable warmth and better energy efficiency for people who are particularly vulnerable to the cold

Home Improvement Agencies

Citizens Advice Bureau

Your local CAB will be able to give you advice on benefits, heating, grants and debts

Local Council Grants

If you have a low income, your local council may be able to help you with home repairs and improvements, such as insulation. To find out whether you can apply for a grant contact your local Council.

Benefit Enquiry Line

This is a confidential helpline providing advice on benefits for disabled people and carers. Call 0800 882 200

National Debtline

Benefit Information Service:

Grants and loans

If you are getting Income Support, income-based jobseekers allowance or Pension Credit, you may be eligible for a community care grant, budgeting loan or crisis loan. for confidential advice call 0800 882 200

DIAL UK Scope

Disability Information and Advice Line (DIAL) provides information and advice on all aspects of living with disability

NHS Credit Crunch Stressline

Job insecurity, redundancy, debt and money problems can all cause feelings of distress which can start to affect your health and wellbeing.

For help call 0300 123 2000 or visit www.nhs.uk (calls charged at standard rate)

The National Kidney Federation is registered in England and Wales as a Company limited by guarantee (Company No 5272349) and awarded charitable status (Charity Number 1106735). Give as You Earn contributions No. CAF GY511.

Registered Office:- The Point, Coach Road, Shireoaks, Worksop, Notts S81 8BW, Tel: (01909) 544999, Fax: (01909) 481723, Helpline: (0845) 601 02 09, E-mail:

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Page created: 6 August 2004

Last updated: 13 August 2010

Know Your Benefits - A Guide for Renal Patients and Carers