Save Money

This is a really simple one, that I missed until someone told me about it. If you have to pay for your prescriptions, check out any savings you can make by purchasing a prepayment certificate. As they are now over £7 per item you can save a lot of money if you have several items to pay for each month.

Jacee

Oh we do like this thread, don't we boys and girls!

Here's another I found yesterday (I think this could turn into an obsession!);

Disabled or chronically sick people can claim VAT relief on goods or services purchased in relation to their illness eg oxygen concentrators, wheelchairs, home building alterations/extensions, stair lifts and so on.

I think it also applies to smaller items too as long as they are for your own personal use to help your condition, so I will try to find out if for instance it would apply to wedge pillows to help sleep, or perhaps a memory foam mattress?

In the definition of chronically sick person, they give diabetes as an example, so i'm sure COPD would qulify too, at least once one is at the more severe end of the spectrum.

Had I known about this sooner, I would have asked for VAT exemption on the fingertip oxymeter, hand held spirometer and chest clearing 'flutter' devices i bought over the past year and saved aprox £26.

The info is found on HM Revenue and Customs web site under the section entitled : VAT Reliefs for disabled people. Greetings , Vanessa :wink:

I tried disableddiscounts.

The site states \"Our goal was to create one resource where people with disabilities, their caretakers, family and friends, could easily locate the discounts for which they qualify and save money. And there are thousands of discounts! They cover a wide range of products and services, in over 30 categories. Each entry is either discounted or available at no cost. We are continually looking for additional discounts. As we find them they will be included in this resource.\"

Thought it looked good til I tried to register and it asked for bank/credit card details. Bah!! You are obviously better at this than me Vanessa.

Jacee

Hi, as my last try was so bad, I felt I should try again. May not be of much help but:

My local council gives discounts on council tax if you are a carer, are disabled, are a hospital patient, are in residential care, have a severe mental impairment, or are single (there are others but they are unlikely to apply here - unless you are an apprentice, a student?). I found details and downloadable forms on their website. To find your local council website try www. followed by the name of the town, then .gov.uk. Happy hunting.

Jacee

Most of us, because of our mobility problems, will be entitled to a Blue Badge for parking. Be aware that this usually means no charge if you park in a disabled bay in a car park or at the roadside where there is a ticket machine. It also means you can park on double yellow lines (as long as there are no other restrictions, like No Loading) for a limited period. You get a booklet with the badge telling you all about it. You can also use it abroad in some circumstances.

Jacee

This is an area in which I am useless. I never seem to put the right words in the search box and end up with all sorts.

I think it is some sort of gift, you either have or you don't.

I thought that to be able to claim a reduction on your council tax, you had to have a seperate room devoted to the disabled person, like a room for massage.

I have stuff scattered all over the house. The wheelchair is in my husbands bedroom, an oxygen tank in the living room and 3 large tanks in my tiny bedroom.

Think I will give the coucil a ring on Monday.

Tessa

I may give my council a ring on Monday.

Hi Tessa, When I first found the details of this it was on my local council website in the council tax area. I found the area that gave info on who gets reductions eg single occupiers / unemployed and then disabled. The first paragraph made it sound like it was for people with specially adapted rooms etc , but then a summary further down the page said that if a bedroom was used to store equipment or wheelchair, then the one band council tax reduction applied.

I had also read something on another forum where a lady said she had the reduction because she had the oxygen tank in the spare bedroom.

Just get your husband to \" store\" an 02 tank in a spare bedroom, better still put the wheelchair there too. If in doubt, talk to jacee, she sorted hers out

pretty quick. Got to dash, I'm being picked up by my son to have a curry at his house - just dread getting in and out of his MG - you've never seen such a spectacle, me almost as big as the car, all huffing and puffing! LUV Van

:oops:

Hi Tessa, you don't need the net. My husband telephoned them and they posted me a form. We sent this back and a man came out. We put my emergency oxygen supply tank (in case of a power cut, when my concentrator will not work) and my two spare ambulatory tanks in the spare room with my wheelchair. My concentrator stayed downstairs cos it is too noisy during the night, the others don't hear it but I am a light sleeper and I do, so it lives under the stairs. If you have two bedrooms you can still claim if one has spare tanks/wheelchair. You may also be able to claim some reduction if you use a kitchen or bathroom for your tanks but I am not sure about having them in the living room. By all means either ring and ask the council or check with your local Citizens' Advice Bureaux or the British Lung Foundation may be able to offer help/advice. Go for it girl.

Jacee xx

Ahh that's my problem. There are five of us crammed into a small end of terraced house. Don't even have a spare cupboard. So I don't meet the criteria. Was thinking of a concentrator but where would I put it?

Tessa

Hello Tessa,

I am not positive but I think you get this reduction whether or not the bedroom is also used for sleeping. I know the stuff I got said something about being able to claim if a bathroom/kitchen was used as well as bedrooms. Please do take further advice and make a claim if you can. The worst that can happen is that they say you do not fit the criteria but it is worth a try.

Jacee

Thanks Jacee, I will do that.

Tessa

Hi all,

Are you all aware of the aids you can get via your GP/occupational health (OH)? Your GP can make a referral to the OH team for you and you can then request things like a seat for the bath, a long handled grabber for picking things up, reaching without bending or stretching too far, a long handled sponge for feet/lower leg washing. You can also request a bed wedge if being elevated helps your breathing, grab rails for the bath, and I am sure there are other things I have not thought of. If you are not sure what is available and you have a particular problem try asking your GP fora referral to occupational health and see what they can suggest.

Jacee

xx

M e again but quickly. Once I get in these sites Ican't seem to get off. TRying not to gloat but I have almost everything I could need i.e.disability aids, blue badge, higher rate mobility and higher rate care allowance. Bath stool, trolley/walker and even a garden rail supplied free.I ended up buying a wheelchair because there wasa long waiting list I also bought two scooters ( one for the car) and a b igger one for general use. I can't walk much at all now. I am by no means rich but I don't spend money on clothes ( don't goanywhere) or holidays etc. and the mobility money covers most things. Its how you go about applying that makes the difference and over the past 15 years I've learnt how to go about most things so if anyone wants a possible 'how to' let me know.Carole

That is a good offer Carole, one I shall take you up on next time I complete a DLA form.

Jacee

:wink: