Organisations for advice on benefits
The Benefits Enquiry Line Citizen's Advice Bureaux DIAL UK Other independent websites The RNID The LINK Centre for Deafened People/NADP Disability AllianceOverview
You can get general information and advice about your entitlement to disability and other benefits from many sources: the local office of the
Benefits Agency, the government's Benefit Enquiry Line, the independent services provided by Citizen's Advice Bureaux(CABs) and by local Disability Information and Advice Lines(DIALs) or from other independent websites. More detailed information about applying for benefits when you are deaf is provided by the RNID and the LINK Centre/NADP; but for direct personal help in applying for benefits or appealing against rejection you should contact the Disability Alliance or your CAB or DIAL.Look in your local telephone book for the address and phone number of your nearest local office.
Tel: 0800 88 2200 (Voice) 0800 24 33 55 (Text)
or press the Working Age link on
www.dss.gov.uk for official, up-to-date information on all disability and other social security benefits and tax credits.For official advice about Disability Living /Attendance Allowance
Tel: 08457 123456 (Voice/Text)
But if you have any doubts about the official information/advice that you receive look also for independent information/advice.
The independent Citizens' Advice Bureaux (CABs) funded by local authorities have more than 2000 offices in the UK where paid workers and trained volunteers offer general information and advice on any subject raised by the public. However by far the most common subject of enquiry is welfare benefits, and in 1999/2000 28% of these enquiries concerned sickness or disability benefits. It is not surprising therefore that the majority of CABs have specialist advisers on welfare benefits and represent clients at tribunals considering appeals for disability benefits. So whether you want general information about your benefit entitlement or step-by-step assistance in applying for specific benefits your local CAB should be able to help you.
Look in your local telephone book or Yellow Pages for the address and telephone number of your local bureau or click on
www.nacab.org.uk/cabdir.ihtmlIn addition you can get information on benefits on-line from the CABs' information website by clicking on "benefits" on
www.adviceguide.org.ukSt Catherine's
Tickhill Road
Doncaster
South Yorkshire DN4 8QN
Tel: 01302 310123 (Voice/Text) Fax: 01302 310404
Email:
dialuk@aol.comDIAL UK is a national association of 140 local independent voluntary organisations that provide free information/advice, and in some cases practical help, on a wide range of disability issues.
Many DIALs rely on a team of trained volunteers, and the majority of volunteers and paid staff are themselves disabled people. Many DIALs have trained welfare rights advisers.
To find out if there is a DIAL UK organisation in your area contact DIAL UK Head Office or
go to
www.dialuk.org.uk/findadial/index.aspFor another independent charity-sponsored information service contact
www.disabilitybenefits.co.uk;or try
www.benefitsnow.co.uk if you want to have a go at self-assessment for particular benefits ; but this is not a government-sponsored website and you would be wise not to rely on the results of your self-assessment without seeking further advice.
The RNID provides several factsheets on welfare benefits for people with all types of hearing loss, including a general factsheet called Benefits for Deaf and Hard of Hearing People. You can get these factsheets by contacting the RNID's Informationline or reading them on the RNID's website.
Write to:
RNID Informationline
19-23 Featherstone Street
London EC1Y 8SL
Tel: 0808 808 0123 (Voice) 0808 808 9000 (Text)
Fax: 0207 296 8199
or go to
www.rnid.org.uk/html/info_factsheets.htm
The LINK Centre for Deafened People/NADP have combined to produce a step-by-step guide for deafened people to the complex process of claiming Disability Living Allowance and a further guide on how to appeal if the application is rejected.
The LINK Centre for Deafened People
19 Hartfield Road
Eastbourne
East Sussex BN21 2AR
Tel: 01323 638230 (Voice) 01323 63998 (Text)
Fax: 01323 642968
Email:
linkcntr@dircon.co.ukNADP(National Association of Deafened People)
PO Box 50
Amersham
Buckinghamshire HP6 6XB
Tel:01494 723613 (Voice/Text) Fax:01494 431932
Email:
enquiries@nadp.org.uk
Universal House
88 - 94 Wentworth Street
London E1 7SA
For Rights Advice Line on Mondays/Wednesdays, 2-4pm,
Tel: 020 7247 8763 (Voice/Text)
The Disability Alliance can offer expert assistance if you need help in completing an application form or to challenge the rejection of an application. However because its resources are limited you may find that you can make more rapid progress by applying to your nearest CAB or DIAL.