Carer's Credit Carer’s Credit has been introduced from 6 April 2010. It is a National Insurance credit which helps carers build up qualifying years for the basic State Pension and additional State Pension. To qualify for Carer’s Credit you must care for one or more disabled people for a total of 20 hours or more per week. Each person you care for must receive one of the following:
- Disability Living Allowance care component at the middle or highest rate
- Attendance Allowance at any rate
- Constant Attendance Allowance at any rate
If the person being cared for doesn't receive one of these benefits, Carer’s Credit can still be awarded if you supply a Care Certificate. This will need to be signed by a health or social care professional (HSCP). A Care Certificate is supplied with each application pack. For further information visit the DirectGov website or contact the Carer’s Allowance Unit on Telephone 0845 608 4321
BENEFITS Many families with disabled children are entitled to claim benefits. It is important to get good advice about which benefits to claim, and to get support in filling out the application forms. Detailed benefits advice is available from the following websites:
Contact a Family has launched a new online one-stop shop for benefits advice and money tips for families with disabled children. Cash Counts includes:
- An online benefits calculator, allowing families to work out how much they are entitled to
- A top tips guide on the benefits available to families with disabled children written by the Contact a Family helpline
- A frequently asked questions page to help families navigate the complex benefits system.
You can go direct to the new Cash Counts service here -www.cafamily.org.uk/cashcounts
 Help with forms
A number of companies are offering parents/carers support with completing application forms for Disability Living Allowance or other similar benefits on a ‘No Win – No Fee’ basis. While this support is probably very welcome to some families, people need to be aware that by signing this type of agreement the clients are usually agreeing to pay a percentage of their award in fees to the company concerned. This can be up to 30% of the final award. Anyone who feels they need this type of help can get support, guidance and advice from a number of sources free with no agreement needing to be signed. For further information or advice contact any of the services below: | Getting advice in Sunderland - Sunderland City Council works with a number of local advice providers to ensure people can access basic advice and information on welfare rights issues, free of charge, near to where they live. These local advice providers deliver a service for customers to help with benefit claims and forms. It can also help with areas of advice where a conflict may arise, for example, employment law disputes involving council employees and housing and council tax benefit challenges or appeals. They can also put people in touch with a range of specialists, including council services such as Sunderland Welfare Rights Service, should an enquiry be more complex. |
- Outreach Welfare Rights Project - offer welfare benefits advice in the Ford, Pallion and Pennywell areas via their outreach venues. They also provide help over the telephone and can arrange home visits for the elderly and infirm
| Telephone: 0191 514 2930 Monday to Friday E-mail: outreachwelfarerights@btconnect.com |
- Washington Citizens Advice Bureau - The Elms, 19 Front Street, Concord, Washington. There is a free ring back service covering the whole of the City for information regarding welfare benefits, debt, money guidance and housing.
| Telephone: 0191 416 6848 Fax: 0191 415 3494 Monday to Thursday 9am to 4.30pm and Friday 9.30am to 4pm. Website: www.cabwashington.co.uk |
- Easington and District Citizens Advice Bureau - 5th Floor, Lee House, Peterlee
| Telephone: 0191 586 2639 Fax: 0191 587 2695 Monday 10am to 3pm, Tuesday & Friday 10am to 1pm, Thursday 10am to 12 noon |
- SHARP Advice for residents of Shiney Row, Houghton, Copt Hill and Hetton areas
| Telephone: 0191 385 6687 |
- Sunderland Advice Service This covers Red Hill, Castle, Southwick, Fulwell, St Peters, Millfield, Hendon, St Michael's, Doxford and Ryhope areas
| Telephone: 0191 567 4649 | | Sunderland Welfare Rights Service- offers specialist advice in relation to benefits and tax credits, employment rights and debt. | Telephone: 0191 553 5922
Email:welfare.rights@sunderland.gov.uk |
Disability Living Allowance Disability Living Allowance - sometimes referred to as DLA - is a tax-free benefit for children and adults who need help with personal care or have walking difficulties because they are physically or mentally disabled.
You may get Disability Living Allowance if:
- you have a physical or mental disability, or both
- your disability is severe enough for you to need help caring for yourself or you have walking difficulties, or both
- you are under 65 when you claim
You can get Disability Living Allowance whether or not you work. It isn't usually affected by any savings or income you may have. For more information on Disability Living Allowance visit the Direct.gov website. Changes to the Disability Living Allowance
From 2013 the Government is proposing to introduce a new benefit called Personal Independence Payment for eligible working age people aged 16 to 64 to replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA). There are no current plans to replace DLA with Personal Independence Payment for children aged under 16 and people over the age of 65 who are already receiving DLA. For more information on Personal Independence Payment and how it may affect you visit the Department for Work and Pensions website. |
Direct payments - are a way of arranging support for disabled children and their families. A person with parental responsibility for a disabled child is given money to arrange and pay for services instead of the local authority arranging them on their behalf. Sunderland City Council will decide whether your child is eligible by carrying out an assessment to identify your needs as a family. | 
Direct payment guidance booklet
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Direct Payment Newsletter
| Direct payments can be offered to:
- People with parental responsibility for a disabled child
- A young disabled person aged 16 or 17
- Anyone over the age of 18
| To find out more, speak to your contact within Children's Services, or contact Philip Snowball (Direct Payments Manager) on Tel: (0191) 566 1825 or download the Sunderland Direct Payment Handbook. |
Childcare - There are a number of options when choosing childcare including: Day nurseries, Childminders, Nursery school or class, Breakfast clubs, Out of school clubs, Holiday schemes, and Youth clubs. For an informative guide to each of these options, and information about choosing and paying for childcare click here. The Families Information Service (FIS) is a service who's aim is to make the process of finding childcare easier, and to provide other information including opportunities for children to participate in education, leisure and sporting activities. This is a free service to all. FIS can be contacted by telephone Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm on 0191 520 5505, or by e-mail at fis@sunderland.gov.uk or you can visit the website www.familiesinfoservice.com and search for childcare yourself. Contact the Disabled Children's Services Duty Social Worker who will be able to advise you on the types of support which may be available to help your child attend. For more information contact: Tel: 0191 566 2190 or E-mail: child.disability@sunderland.gov.uk
Education Maintenance Allowance replaced by a 16 to 19 bursary scheme in England The Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme closed in England to new applicants on 1 January 2011. Schools, colleges and training providers have busary funds to help you if you’re studying or starting a course and face financial hardship. For advice speak to student support services or your tutor. For more information visit the DirectGov website.
| Flexible working for parents of disabled children - Did you know that parents of children under 6 or disabled children under 18 have the right to apply to work flexibly, and employers have a duty to consider the request seriously? For more information visit the Directgov website or download a guidance leaflet produced by ACAS. |
| Sunderland’s Home Improvement Agency - has been created to enable Sunderland residents in need of support to maintain their independence in their chosen home for the foreseeable future. This is achieved by supporting people throughout the repair, adaptation or improvement process of their home, so that individuals are able to remain in their own home in a warm, safe and secure environment. | | Services offered as part of the Home Improvement Agency: | Additional Services customers can be referred onto: |
- Disabled Facilities Grants
- Housing Assistance
- Handyperson Service and Minor Alterations Service
- Energy Efficiency Measures and Advice
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- Welfare Rights / Benefits
- Fire Service
- Safe Project
- Telecare Service
| | The Home Improvement Agency can be contacted on (0191) 5661451 / hia@sunderland.gov.uk or to download further details click here |
MONEY Financial Ombudsman Service -
If you have a complaint about a bank, an insurance company or another kind of money business - you may be able to get help. The Financial Ombudsman Service is a free and independent service which aims to settle complaints fairly and as quickly as possible. For more information telephone 0845 080 1800 or 0300 123 9 123. | The Government's website Directgov offers advice on money management. Visit the Directgov website for more information. The Money Advice Service - The Financial Services Authority offers advice and guidance about financial products and services. It can also give you information and pointers about your money to help you work out what products are right for you. It can tell you if a firm is authorised to sell financial products and point you in the right direction if you don't know who to contact. The Money Advice Service won't try to sell you anything and don't recommend specific products or providers. The Money Advice Service can be contacted on 0300 500 5000 or alternatively visit their website at www.moneyadviceservicve.org.uk. |
TAX Tax credits are payments from the government. If you're responsible for at least one child or young person who normally lives with you, you may qualify for Child Tax Credit. If you work, but earn low wages, you may qualify for Working Tax Credit. For more information visit www.direct.gov.uk
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Local Sunderland Information
