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Health and independent living

Direct payments - arranging your own care and services

If you have been assessed by your local council as needing care and support services, you may want to choose direct payments. They allow you to buy in and arrange help yourself instead of receiving it directly from social services.

Value Added Tax (VAT) relief on equipment and services

Some goods may qualify for VAT relief if the item has been designed or adapted solely for a disable person's use. This includes some medical appliances, certain adjustable beds and hoists and some adapted vehicles.

Services that may qualify for relief include: installation of equipment, adaptation of equipment and certain building alterations.

Equipment for independent living

You may be entitled to help towards the cost of equipment to enable you to live independently in your own home. Or you may be entitled to help towards the cost of getting standard home equipment adapted so that you can use it. See 'Your home, adaptations and equipment'.

Disabled Facilities Grants

A Disabled Facilities Grant is a local council grant. It helps towards the cost of essential adaptations to your home to enable you to continue to live there. See 'Your home, adaptations and equipment'.

• Paying VAT on equipment and vehicles for disabled people (general money, tax and benefits section)

• Your home, adaptations and equipment

Prescriptions, hospital travel and personal equipment

You may be entitled to help towards health costs such as free NHS prescriptions, dental care and hospital travel costs. You may also be entitled to costs towards equipment such as wheelchairs and hearing aids.

Home and housing

Council Tax

You may be entitled to a reduction in your Council Tax bill if your home has certain features that are essential to you living there. For example, if you have an extension for a downstairs bedroom. If it puts your property into a higher valuation banding, there may be a one-band reduction in your bill.

Housing and Council Tax Benefit

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit are paid by local councils. If you are on a low income and paying rent claim Housing Benefit.

If you are on a low income and paying Council Tax, claim Council Tax Benefit. See 'On a low income' to learn more.

Television licence discount

If you are registered blind, you can get a 50 per cent discount on the cost of a TV licence.

• Council Tax reduction for disabled people

• On a low income (general money, tax and benefits section)

• Television licence discount

Vehicles and transport

Blue Badge parking scheme

The Blue Badge scheme provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people with severe walking difficulties who travel either as drivers or as passengers. See 'About the Blue Badge Scheme' to read more.

The Motability Scheme

The Motability Scheme can help you with leasing or buying a car, powered wheelchair or scooter. You will need to be getting the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance or War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement.

The leasing or hiring of certain equipment and vehicles may qualify for Value Added Tax (VAT) 'relief'. See 'Motoring and transport' to learn more.

Vehicle tax exemption

You can apply for exemption from paying vehicle tax if you receive:

• the higher rate of the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance
• the War Pensioner's Mobility Supplement

See 'Motoring and transport' to find out more.

Community and public transport

Your local council may operate dial-a-ride or taxi schemes, for example, using vouchers or tokens. You may also be eligible for a bus pass and/or Disabled Persons Railcard. See 'Motoring and transport' to learn more.

• About the Blue Badge Scheme

• Motoring and transport

Education

Disabled Students' Allowances

Disabled Students' Allowances provide help for students in higher education who have additional costs because of their disability. This includes help towards specialist equipment plus non-medical personal assistance.

• Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs)

If you have served in Her Majesty's Armed Forces

War Disablement Pension

You may be able to claim War Disablement Pension if you've been injured or disabled:

• during a time of war
• as a result of service in Her Majesty's Armed Forces before 6 April 2023

You cannot claim if you are still serving in the Armed Forces.

Constant Attendance Allowance

If you need daily care and attention because of a disability and you claim War Disablement Pension you can claim Constant Attendance Allowance.

Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

You may be entitled if you're injured, or have an illness as a result of service in the Armed Forces on or after 6 April 2005.

• War Disablement Pension (general money, tax and benefits section)

• Constant Attendance Allowance (general money, tax and benefits section)

• Armed Forces Compensation Scheme

Caring for someone

If you are caring for someone who is disabled, find out about financial and practical help for carers. This includes carer's assessments and Carer's Allowance - in the 'caring for someone' section of Directgov.

• Caring for someone

Useful contacts

• Financial support contacts