What Disability Aid Is Available for People in Wales?
Living in Wales is great in so many ways – whether you choose to live here permanently or just come to stay for a holiday, it’s a truly breathtaking country, and there is so much to see and do. However, if you live in Wales and have a disability, what kind of help is available?
Like much of the UK, there is a need for more disabled-friendly accommodation, more accessibility and better transport.
However, the good news is that Wales has a number of different programmes and schemes to help those who need a little extra assistance due to a disability. Read on to find out more and so see if any of them could help you.
ENABLE: Support For Living Independently Scheme
If you are old or have a disability and can’t get around your home or use all of its features, you may be able to have changes made to make it better for you. This can potentially be done under the government’s ENABLE scheme, where properties are redesigned (sometimes in small ways, sometimes in larger ones) to ensure those with disabilities can still live at home.
Some of the adaptations that might be undertaken include:
- Installing grab bars
- Adding wheelchair ramps
- Putting in accessible bathrooms and kitchens
- Relocating plug sockets and light switches for easy access
What you can get and what you need will depend on your disability, and your needs will have to be assessed.
Motability Scheme
The Motability South Wales Scheme helps you get around by letting you trade in your mobility allowance for new mobility scooters or powered wheelchairs. Many types of scooters and powered wheelchairs are great for short trips when you are on your own.
The Motability scheme is fantastic as it allows people to get out and about, which is crucial if you want to live a full life. It’s great to have your home adapted to your needs, and the importance of this should not be overlooked. Still, if you can combine that with the possibility of being more independent, such as going to the shops or a doctor’s appointment by yourself, you can have everything you need to enjoy life as much as possible.
Financial Help
Although it is not true in all cases, for some disabled people, it is impossible for them to work either full-time or at all. In this situation, financial help will be needed to help them meet the basic day-to-day cost of living.
There are many kinds of financial help for people with disabilities, such as benefits, tax credits, payments, grants, and concessions.
Some benefits you might get are:
- Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
- Attendance Allowance
Depending on your situation, you might be able to also:
- Industrial Injuries Benefit if your job makes you unwell or hurt.
- Constant Attendance Allowance if you have a disability, that means you need care and attention every day.
Carers and people with disabilities who get benefits from the government will be able to get a £200 fuel support payment this winter on top of anything else they might already claim for.
In addition to the above, The Disability Rights Taskforce are working with the Welsh Government to improve inequalities for disabled people in Wales, so we can expect to see improvements in inclusion and equality – as with the rest of the UK, there is much room for improvement, but the principality is firmly committed to improving accessibility and making life better for disabled people.
