From
Contact a Family -
Urgent call
for families with disabled children to get advice on their benefits
and tax credits entitlements
Contact a Family
has identified that some families with disabled children could
lose out on vital income due to imminent changes in benefit rules.
From 27 October 2008 Incapacity Benefit and income support for
people with health problems will be replaced by Employment Support
Allowance (ESA).
Families with a
disabled teenager born before 27th October 1992 have
a choice – they can either claim the existing benefits now or
wait and claim ESA at a later date. Some will be worse off on
the new ESA depending on individual circumstances. Sarah Rush,
Head of Advice at Contact a Family, said:
We know that
families with disabled children face enormous financial challenges
with more than half living in poverty. It is therefore vitally
important that families get advice now, to find out how these
benefits changes will affect them.
Contact a
Family working with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC), has also identified
there are 28,000 families in the UK who are missing out on much
needed extra income through additional tax credits. Families who
have not informed HMRC that they receive Disability Living Allowance
could be missing out on this additional income, which
is paid in addition to existing tax credits they may already receive.
If you
feel you might be affected by either
of these issues or simply want to check that you are getting all
the money you are entitled to, telephone the Contact a Family
helpline -
0808 808 3555
The helpline is
staffed by benefits experts and trained parent advisers who can
help to maximise a family’s income.
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