I'll add links to Govt sites about the benefits/allowances I mention.  If you have any info you can add about UK benefits/allowances please add them.

Eileen


*note some of the money rates I mention are approximate figures - can't remember them offhand.

"Disability Living Allowance"

Mental Health Illnesses/Conditions
People with Mental Health problems in the UK are eligible to apply for an allowance called "Disability Living Allowance" (DLA) provided that the condition/illness has lasted 6 months and will last at least another 6 months.  It is an allowance that  can increase the amount of Income Support or Incapacity Benefit that a person can get.  It does this by raising the 'applicable amount' that the UK Govt says a person needs to live on.    

Applicable Amount
The applicable amount is set at a rate of around £55 for a single person (over 24) with no dependants.  This can be raised by the addition of up to 3 disability premiums depending on what rate of DLA you receive or if you have been ill for more than a year.  

DLA Components
The DLA has 2 components: Care (Higher, Middle or Lower rate) and Mobility (Higher and Lower rate).  Many people who suffer from mental illness or mental health problems can usually get one of the Care rates and might get the Lower rate for Mobility - Higher Rate Mobility is for those who have a physical disability such as paraplegic or amputee.

The rates for these components can be seen at: http://www.direct.gov.uk/Audienc....=ffuFTE

Higher Rate Care Component
To get the Higher Rate Care Component the person needs to be so ill as to need some or constant supervision through the day or night, in order to keep themselves or others safe.

My DLA was awarded because I need someone to keep an eye on me because I am a potential danger to myself or others , this is because I self harm (cutting etc) and also have servious suicidal thoughts which I act on.  

If someone needs help at any time to care for their personal needs, depending on the time of help they need they may get Higher Rate or Middle Rate.

Middle Rate Care Component
There must be an element of care required by another person.   I'll add more examples later.  

Lower Rate Care Component
A person must need some help with personal care due to their illness/condition.  For example help with cooking a meal.

Higher Rate Mobility
Given only to people who are completely blind or deaf or can not walk (a Dr will examine you if you are claiming this rate).

Lower Rate Mobility
People who have problems getting around i.e. agoraphobia, panic attacks etc and need someone with them anytime they leave the house can get this rate.   For people with mental illness some of these reasons can be because they can forget where they are, they get confused or frightened by people or traffic, or they suffer from sever panic attacks that they can not cope with going out on their own, or they hear voices or have hallucinations.    Again I'll check up on this and add more later.

DLA Award
People can be awarded one rate from one or both of the components.  For instance I get Higher Rate of the care component because I need help with personal care for my safety but I do not need help with getting around.
 
Get a DLA Form
To apply for DLA phone your local Job Centre Plus and ask for a form to be sent to you.  The form will be dated with 2 dates: one is the date you asked for the form, the second is when the form must be sent back by.

If you are eligible for DLA it will be backdated to the date you asked for the form (important to know, because it can take about 8 weeks to get the result and if you need to appeal a decision it can take much longer for them to process your claim).  

Filling in the DLA Form
When you come to filling in the form, you fill in the form and describe what it is like for you on YOUR WORST DAY.  That is important, don't say things like "occasionally it is so bad that....", say "it is so bad that I constantly feel depressed and suicidal and want to die, my thoughts are constantly on thoughts of dying and planing methods" etc.

You may be able to get someone to help you fill in the form.  If you have a Community Psychiatric Nurse or Social Worker or Welfare Rights Worker they may be able to help you.   The Citizns Advice might help or there may be a local centre for people with Mental Health Problems

Appealing A Decision
I've already said that it can take about 8 weeks to get a decision.  The DLA people don't always give an award.  This is not the end of the road.  If you are knocked back the first time, appeal.  People do win appeals a lot of the time.  I have known someone who appealed the initial decision and she was awarded DLA without having to fill out any other forms or put in a submission.

If your appeal is knocked back you can appeal that and go to the 3rd stage.  This will require you and/or your representative to face a panel and answer some questions.   I have known someone whose DLA appeal went to this final stage and he won.  So 11 months after asking for the form he was awarded DLA and so he got it backdated.

How DLA affects your Income Support or Incapacity Benefit
Basic benefits in UK are approx. £56 Income Support (IS) for single person (Housing Benefit, Council Tax Benefit is extra), and the same for Incapicity Benefit (IB) (? I need to check this amounts).   If you have been ill for more than a year you'll be awarded an additional Disability Premium of around £20 (I need to check this out)

IB is awarded if you have worked and that replaces the IS.  If you have been ill for more than a year you'll get extra IB of about £20 (?) bringing your IB to £75 or thereabouts.  

If you get any component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) then that will also give you the basic Disability Premium plus the basic IS or IB.  

If you get Middle Rate Care Component you will get another Disability Premim (total 2 premiums).

If you get Higher Rate Care Component you will get all three disability premiums added to your IS or IB.

Dr/Psychiatrist/CPN/Social Worker to support your application
The DLA form has a couple of sections that are to be filled in by people who support your application.  In my case it was my Psychiatrist but it can be your GP or CPN, Social worker or family member (though its better to have professional support).   Talk to your GP or Psychiatrist or THerapist, they should be willing to help you gain this award.  

Housing Benefit
If you are on IS, IB or a low income you can get full or almost full Housing Benefit (HB).  It is worth applying.  I think you get the forms from your local council or the Job Centre Plus or any organisation that helps folk with Mental Health Problems.

Council Tax Beneft
People on IS, IB or on a low income should or may be eligible for council tax benefit.   The forms are available from your local Council offices (maybe from Job Centre Plus also).

Council Tax Exemption
To get complete Council Tax exemption a person must be getting DLA at any rate or Income Supoort and have a Dr or Psychiatrist will to support you by filling out a Severely Mentally Impaired (SMI) form stating that you have suffered since a certain date.

My psychiatrist supports me and this means I have full Council Tax exemption from the date I got awarded DLA.

Don't worry too much about the name SMI, its just the way the form is worded.  If you have a mental illness/condition that is long standing you should get some DLA and get exemption from Council Tax.

Forms can be got from your local Council office.  Its a very simple form (2 pages) but requires an official stamp from your dr.

Concession Bus/Tax Fares
Another benefit you might be able to get, depending on what area you live in is a concession rate because of your mental illness/condition.  

In Aberdeen I get free bus fares after 9.30 Mon to Friday and all day Sat and Sun.  I'd assume that this might be available in all areas of the UK.  Some areas will give free fares at any time.  

If you are seriously ill then you may be eligible to get a Taxi Card.  

Apply for either of these by contacting your local council.  Again you will need to give details of your Drs name so that they can support your application.

Why apply?
Why apply?  Well you are entitled to apply and get DLA.  You may not have heard of it because many drs 'forget' that folk with Mental Illness can apply for it (as can folk with Learning Disabilities etc).

If you don't ask you won't get and getting DLA will mean you get more money from IS or IB.  It can be worth up to £200 a week.  Well worth applying for.

What now?
Feel free to comment on what I've written, I may well have made some errors or ommisions and I'm writing this from memory and I don't have notes to look at.  I may also have to check up some stuff but i thought it better to put this onto DF since some of us do suffer greatly moneywise.   Getting DLA can make things a bit more bearable.

If you have any questions, just ask and I'll do my best to answer them or perhaps others from the UK can also answer them.

Phone first thing on Monday and get that DLA form or SMI form, even the Concession Card for buses.

more info on the DLA can be found at http://www.direct.gov.uk/Audienc....=VLS3fy

this includes who can claim, how to claim, where to get the forms, telephone numbers etc.

info can also be found about how help with disabilities to do with health, money, work, etc from the DirectGov web site at http://www.direct.gov.uk/Audiences/DisabledPeople/fs/en

I have a question: what do you do if you feel that you can't work and yet your doctor refuses to sign you as sick?

Jo
I'm sorry its taken so long for me to  notice your question - bad of me not keep checking.  

I'm not sure what you could do apart from telling the dr how you feel or ask to see another dr. escpecially if the dr isn't very good with mental health problems.  I know that if my GP was suggesting that its time I went back to work and I felt I wasn't ready I 'd get in a real panic about it and probably have a crying fit in front of him.

Hi Eileen :)

No worries about the delay . .i'd about forgotten about this thread anyway. I was having a really bad time when I posted it and scared I would have to go back on disability and panicking in case I asked my doc and he refused ;(. I am starting New Deal next week and should be starting work or something and to be honest, I am scared witless. I want to get back to work but am terrified that I will try and fail, and then lose my JSA because I am not fit to work..

if you aren't fit to work then you'd be on sick leave and should get either Income Support or if you have paid enough National Insurance then you'd get Incapacity Benefit so you'd be alright.

I am just scared that my doctor might not approve it :( I am getting way ahead of myself here, because right now I feel I CAN work tho am really nervous about it, but am scared that I might have to stop and might go to the doc and have him simply say 'no, not signing anything' and then I'd wind up on the street :(

I am a bit of a worrier, as you can see!

I  don't think that would happen, at the worst you'd be signed off for anxiety.   I think most GPs will be understanding about this.

I dunno .. I just hate to ASK which is stupid cos they can only say no I suppose.

It's just, i am likely to be starting work soon and if  Ican't hack it and leave I will not get JSA and I am really worrying about it :(

jo
if you go back to work and can't hack it and have to give up the job due to being sick, then you'd be signed off - tell your dr how worried you are  about this, I'm sure they'd understand and support you.

Eileen

Ei,  How the heck did you get this thingy


Into your titles?  LOL

Thank you for giving members information for dissability in the UK .

its when you put a watch on a thread.