My apologies for this amended Newsletter.  There was a glitch in the Software and for some unknown reason it combined information from the previous Newsletter. 

All being well this one will be correct.  Fingers crossed!

Welcome to the October 2022 edition of Disability Grants News - a monthly round up of highlights on the Disability Grants website and resources for anyone with a disability, caring for or working with disabled adults or children.

If you are new to the website and searching for grants please read the following pages before starting your search....

Adults- About Grants section

Children and Young People  - Grants for Disabled Children - An Introduction

Here are some of this month’s updates and additions.... 

Energy Saving Grants – updated with a summary of energy payments from Government and suppliers.

Grant News

National

• A reminder about the Children in Need Emergency Essential Programme.  It supports children and young people who are facing exceptionally difficult circumstances, providing essentials to make sure their basic needs are met.  Applications must be made through Family Fund by a statutory agency or charitable organisation.

• The WellChild Charity is now open for applications.  It provides support for hands-on projects such as decorating a child’s room or adapting a garden.

• The Royal British Legion is offering Every Day Need Grants to help veterans and their families with grants up to £200 per month towards the increased cost of living. Depends on financial circumstances and covers all UK.

• WaveLength helps reduce loneliness through the provision of free technology in the UK. It gives free radios, televisions and tablet computer to those who are lonely from age, poor physical or mental health or are isolated by circumstances.

• The Furniture Makers Charity offers a wide range of grants for past and current employees of the furnishing industry including essential household items, disability equipment and adaptations. Includes employees of well know stores such as IKEA and DFS.

• The National Zakat Foundation provides financial support for Muslims in need of support for hardship relief, housing, work and education.

• The Railway Benefit Fund (RBF) have relaunched their Energy Support Fund, in reaction to the increased cost of living many are expected to experience in the UK.

Regional

• The Victoria Foundation gives funding for mobility aids including wheelchairs and trikes for children and young people in the boroughs of Richmond and Kingston, Greater London and Surrey.

• Food Lifeline provides support for Jewish families in London and Essex with Kosher food parcels and essentials.

• Buckingham Council - New energy grants for households with a gross annual income of less than £30,000 or who are receiving eligible benefits. Home owners and renters.

• East Riding Council - Offering grants between £1,500 to £5,000 to organisations and community groups to set up Welcoming Places for residents to drop in during the winter.

• Kettering - Grant scheme to help elderly with winter heating bills.

• Halton, Knowsley, St Helens and Wirral through the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (LCCA) - Sustainable Warmth Fund to help household make their homes more energy efficient.  For homes that have an Energy Performance rating of D/E/F or G and a combined household income of less that £30,000

• Liverpool - Council tax energy rebate support for households not eligible under the core scheme for those on low income in properties valued in bands E to H. 

• Warwick - Funding to help residents keep warmer and lower their fuel bills.

• University of York - Household Energy Grants for students meeting their criteria. The University also has other financial measures such as bursaries for those who need support with rent payments, the Student Support Fund.

• Wales - Grants for helping with fuel costs are now available from Powys County Council, part of the Welsh Government Fuel Support Scheme. A one-off payment of £200 is now available to households across Powys which receive certain benefits.

• Scotland – The Child Winter Heating Assistance.  An annual payment of £214 for young people under 19 years in receipt of disability benefits to help with increased costs over the colder months.  It will be paid automatically.

• A one-off Christmas Bonus £10 bonus payment if you receive one of 21 DWP benefits will be paid in the first week of December.  Includes, Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance, Personal Independence Payment, Adult Disability Payment and those on Pension credit.

• Get help from your energy supplier by signing up to their Priority Services Register for extra support.  Each supplier has their own form.

• New law introduced entitling unpaid carers to 1 week of unpaid leave a year from employment.

• From 26th October until 6th November, anyone needing a hot meal can visit a Morrisons cafe and receive a free jacket potato with Heinz baked beans. You just need to ‘ask for Henry’ when ordering.

• Asda is offering soup, roll and unlimited hot drink to over-60s for £1 this winter.

• Discounts from shops and other organisations listed on new Government website “Help for Households”

• Free IT and technology information to help at school, work and life from GCF.

• Newlife - offers FREE 12 week loan of Free Play Therapy Pods. A collection of carefully complied specialist toys which help to encourage learning, improve relaxation, give enjoyment and distract from pain. There are different categories of play pods to choose from, depending on the child’s age, physical and learning abilities and medical needs.

• Interested in setting up Warm Places this winter? Check out these guidelines for Warm Places produced by CILIP. Includes Risk Assessments.

• NHS England has produced a Sensory-friendly resource pack to support developing sensory friendly environments for Autistic people. All elements of the resource pack have been co-produced with people with lived experience, family carers, and clinicians.

• Learn British Sign Language with Sense Sign School.

• Helping people with learning disabilities to use technology: Guides from Digital Unite.

• Mo Stewart has been researching the Consequences of Government welfare reform, and specifically the notoriously flawed Work Capability Assessment (WCA) for a full 12 years. Read her research.

• The DWP have now published an online form for disability benefits claimants who have not yet received their £150 disability cost of living payment.

• If you’re on Universal Credit and ever need to appeal, do save and share this helpful guide to support you at tribunal.  Aimed at advisers and volunteers, as well as claimants and their families, this tool helps users write a submission for tribunal.

Please don't forget that Disability Grants is a shared resource where everyone helps each other..... So, do participate and share your knowledge and experiences.

Help and Be Helped

All the best

Julia Tyrrell

Founder of Disability Grants

Are there topics you would like the newsletter to cover? Tell us how Disability Grants can improve so we can help you more in the future.

Email: contact@disability-grants.org

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