Problems

Disability

Agencies providing support and information

If you or someone you know need help around the home, information here about how to get a Needs Assessment

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/social-care-and-support-guide/help-from-social-services-and-charities/getting-a-needs-assessment/

 

Able Community Care:
01603 764567
www.uk-care.com
Arranges live in carers for an elderly or disabled person in the UK.

AbilityNet
0300 180 0028
www.abilitynet.org.uk
Helpline and a range of other services to enable disabled adults and children to use computers. Information service and assessment of IT needs for individuals at home or in the workplace. Ability Net has a project which provides free computer help for disabled people. Volunteers will visit people with disabilities in their own home to help with hardware or software problems and give assistance in gaining confidence in using a computer.

Action on Hearing Loss (formerly RNID)
Information Line: 0808 808 0123
www.actiononhearingloss.org.uk
Information service for deaf and hard of hearing people, families and carers. Information on deafness and hearing loss, including hearing aids, education, communication, benefits, services for deaf people, tinnitus.

Activity Alliance
http://www.activityalliance.org.uk/
Working to make active lives possible with a vision that disabled people are active for life

APD Support UK
https://apdsupportuk.wixsite.com/apd-support-uk
FREE information about Auditory Processing Disorder/APD and links to support for living with this disabling condition.

Benefit Information:
ww.direct.gov.uk/disability-money
Information relating to benefits for people with disabilities

British Red Cross Home Care Services
https://www.redcross.org.uk/get-help/get-support-at-home/about-our-home-care-services
If you're being discharged from hospital, the British Red Cross can bring you home and make sure you have everything you need for your first few days. If you still need assistance after that, they can provide up to 12 weeks of support depending on what level of help you need. Your local service can be found through the link above. You can also hire wheelchairs and toilet aids - see the link above.

Canine Partners: 
www.caninepartners.co.uk
Assists people with disabilities to enjoy greater independence and better quality of life through the help of specially trained assistance dogs.

Contact 
0808 808 3555
https://contact.org.uk/
Helpline and other support for families caring for children with disabilities or special needs. Range of factsheets and information packs covering issues such as benefits, special educational needs and health. Maintains national/regional databases of parent support groups.

Depher
01282 420 678
https://www.depher.com/
Depher provides help and support to people over the age of 65, customers registered disabled or families/individuals on a low income. Depher understands that emergencies and situations arise that you may not be prepared for. They treat each funding application on a need by need basis. 
Depher may be able to help with boiler breakdowns and repairs, help if struggling to buy food for yourself or your family, help customers who struggle to heat up their homes 

Disability Information Scotland
0300 323 9961
www.disabilityscot.org.uk
Information and advice relating to disability

Disability Law Service:
020 7791 9800
www.dls.org.uk
Legal advice helpline for disabled people, their families and carers.

Disabled Living
0161 214 4590
https://www.disabledliving.co.uk/
Impartial information and advice about equipment and services for disabled individuals.

Disabled Motoring UK
01508 489 449
www.disabledmotoring.org
Provides mobility information service to the public giving basic information on topics such as Blue Badge, Motability, Driving and signposting to relevant organisations.

Disability Rights UK:
0330 995 0400
www.disabilityrightsuk.org
Promoting meaningful independent living for disabled people.

Dogs for Good
www.dogsforgood.org
To provide trained dogs to help persons with disabilities (other than registered blind or deaf).

Equality Advisory & Support (EASS)
0808 800 0082
www.equalityadvisoryservice.com
Advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights across England, Scotland and Wales

Everyone Can
Freephone Helpline 0808 800 0009
https://www.everyonecan.org.uk/
Every Can  helps people with disabilities to improve their quality of life through the power of technology.

Gardening with Disabilities Trust
https://www.gardeningwithdisabilitiestrust.org.uk/
To provide appropriate assistance and practical and financial help to disabled people wishing to take an active part in gardening. Grants made to help with the design of special gardens. Information, advice and assistance to disabled gardeners living in their own homes or in small sheltered units, encourages disabled gardeners to exchange plants and seeds and share experiences.

Guideposts
01993 899 983
https://guideposts.org.uk/
Guideposts is a UK-based charity working with people in local communities to help them access the support, opportunities and skills they need to overcome social challenges, improve their wellbeing and change their lives.Many of the people they support come from the most disadvantaged groups in our society, including children and adults with additional needs and disabilities, people with mental health problems, older people with dementia and other neuro-degenerative conditions, and the families or carers of all these groups.

Happy Days Children’s Charity 
01462 530710
www.happydayscharity.org 
Provides holidays and day trips for children with special needs.

Lions Message in a Bottle
0121 441 4544
https://lionsclubs.co/Public/message-in-a-bottle/
Lions Clubs Message in a Bottle is a simple but effective way for people to keep their basic personal and medical details where they can be found in an emergency on a standard form and in a common location – the fridge. Message in a Bottle helps emergency services personnel to save valuable time in identifying an individual very quickly and knowing if they have any allergies or take special medication. Paramedics, police, fire-fighters and social services support Lions’ life-saving initiative and know to look in the fridge when they see the Message in a Bottle stickers. The initiative provides peace of mind that prompt and appropriate medical assistance can be provided, and next of kin / emergency contacts can be notified.

Living Made Easy
0300 123 3084 
https://livingmadeeasy.org.uk/
National information service and helpline on equipment and adaptations for people with disabilities. Equipment demonstration centre. Publishes directory of equipment, a series of daily living guides and specialist resource packs.

Motability - grants for driving lessons, adaptations to vehicles etc.
https://www.motability.org.uk/charitable-grants/access-to-mobility-grant-programmes/driving-lessons/

onHand
0203 488 2912
www.beonhand.co.uk
Trusted volunteers are matched to older adults who need help at home, shopping, tech lessons, gardening, small jobs, cup of tea etc. A free national service.

Outsiders
https://outsiders.org.uk/
Outsiders is a social, peer support and dating club, run by and for socially and physically disabled people. Members have a wide range of impairments, including visual and hearing impairment. Members tell the Club only other disabled people really understand them, so make the best partners.

Outsiders Trust Sex and Disability Helpline:
https://www.outsiders.org.uk/outsidersclub/helpline/
Support on relationships, sexuality, dating  and sexual services to all disabled people and a wide range of their therapists and health and social care professionals. 

Peter le Marchant Trust: 
01509 265590
www.peterlemarchanttrust.co.uk
Provides trips and holidays on special boats for physically disabled children and adults on the inland waterways.

Pets As Therapy:
01865 671440
www.petsastherapy.org
Provide therapeutic visits to hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes, special needs schools and a variety of other venues.

PHAB:
020 8667 9443
email info@phab.org.uk
www.phab.org.uk
Via a network of clubs across the country Phab promotes and encourages people with and without disabilities to come together on equal term to achieve complete integration within the wider community. Over 260 clubs enjoy a wide range of activities and holidays.

Queen Elizabeth's Foundation for Disabled People
01372 841100
www.qef.org.uk
Provides rehabilitation, convalescence, holidays and other needs and general welfare of disabled people.

Scope:
0808 800 3333
www.scope.org.uk
Telephone and other information services on all aspects of disability.

Scope
A community connected by disability. Here, you can make friends, share your experiences, get the advice you need, and discuss the issues that matter to you.
Scope Forum

Seeing Dogs Alliance:
www.seeingdogs.org.uk
Provides professionally reared dogs to anyone wanting to achieve or maintain personal mobility while remaining truly independent.

Sense Virtual Buddying Befriending Service
https://www.sense.org.uk/our-services/meeting-people/virtual-buddying-befriending-service/
Free Service for people with disabilities of any age in the UK.
Chat online or on the phone with your buddy once a week from the comfort of your own home.

SignHealth The Deaf Health Charity
www.signhealth.org.uk
SignHealth aims to give Deaf people easier access to healthcare and information, as well as providing services which are not provided elsewhere.

Skiggle
https://www.skiggle.co.uk/about-us/
Disability charity dedicated to helping people with disabilities when they need it most.
They fund and operate a unique 24/7 SOS emergency alert service and run an online marketplace where people can safely rehome and distribute disability care products and equipment. They offer help and support for disabled people directly through their website.

Spokz People
https://spokzpeople.org.uk/support-for-you-yours/
https://spokzpeople.org.uk/register/
A not-for-profit social enterprise which aims to enable more disabled people and their family members to access disability-affirming psychological support. Their services are effective because of their personal understanding of disability as well as their therapist background. They look at a persons impairment and all the factors that affect their ability to be a full and equal participant in society. Spokz People also run a well being programme online covering issues such as emergency support, physical health, maintaining good mental health, setting of goals and dealing with setbacks. They also address isolation and loneliness with peer support through live zoom groups, forum, and 1-2-1 chat function. See website for more details 

Support Dogs
0114 261 7800
https://www.supportdogs.org.uk/
Support Dogs (registered charity number 1088281) is a national charity dedicated to saving and improving the lives of children and adults with various challenging medical conditions. They provide, train and support specialist assistance dogs to achieve this. One of their programmes is Disability assistance dogs for people with physical disabilities. The client’s own pet dog is trained to perform tasks which are specifically tailored to their individual needs, providing them with greater independence and safety. 

Tourism for All UK
www.tourismforall.org.uk
Tourism for All UK contains the knowledge gained over the past 35 years in providing information to the public, especially to people with disabilities, on where their specific access needs can be met so that they can fully participate in travel and leisure.

Trussell Trust
01722 580180
https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help
Search on website for nearest foodbank - Everyday people in the UK go hungry for reasons ranging from redundancy to receiving an unexpected bill on a low income. Trussell Foodbanks provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in the UK. Vouchers can be obtained from care professionals such as doctors, health visitors, social workers and Citizen Advice Bureaux.

Revitalise:
0303 303 0145
www.revitalise.org.uk
Revitalise is a national charity providing respite holidays alongside expert nurse-led care for disabled people and their carers at three UK holiday centres.

Vulnerability Registration Service
https://www.vulnerabilityregistrationservice.co.uk/
Free to register, the VRS is a database of vulnerable people that allows you to alert companies to the fact that you’re in vulnerable circumstances. It lets business identify your vulnerability and take it into account when they communicate with you. You can either opt to be declined for financial service applications or add a ‘referral flag’ to let organisations know about your circumstances – so that they can be taken into consideration.

Useful websites

www.ableize.com
The largest disability directory in the UK covering all areas from disability sport, arts, care, education and benefits through to mobility products and services. Run by disabled people.

https://advicelocal.uk/
Just enter a postcode and choose an advice topic to find tailored information for your area, including details of independent advice organisations who can help you get the advice and support that you need. Advicelocal can help you with questions relating to: welfare benefits and tax credits; council tax, including exemptions and discounts; debt and money advice; housing and homelessness; employment and work issues; disability and social care; and asylum and immigration.

www.advicenow.org.uk
includes a step by step guide to DLA benefits and what to do if you are turned down and think the decision is wrong.

www.benefitsguide.co.uk
A free to use resource which provides clear and comprehensive information on all available UK welfare benefits as well as guidance on benefit applications, appeals, emergency assistance & legal help.

www.benefitsandwork.co.uk
Advice on claiming ESA support and other benefits

https://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/being-control-getting-personal-assistants-pas
Disability Rights information on getting a Personal Assistant

www.disabilitytalk.co.uk
A website for disabled people offering help, guidance and advice.

www.getonlineathome.org
Information regarding reconditioned computers and laptops available to those on certain benefits.

https://www.gov.uk/find-charity-information
This site enables you to search for charities which gives grants to individuals in need. Click Start now - On Classification section 'What the Charity Does' on dropdown menu select 'General Charitable Purposes', 'Who the Charity Helps' select from list on dropdown menu and 'How the Charity Operates' select 'Makes grants to Individuals'.

https://www.icancharity.org.uk/
help for children with communication difficulties.

www.independentliving.co.uk
information, help and support to assist with independent living.

https://skybadger.co.uk/
A charity that finds help and adventure for disabled children and their families all over the UK.

https://www.unitedresponse.org.uk/resources/
useful resources relating to disability.

www.whizz-kidz.org.uk
Whizz Kidz aim  to transform the lives of disabled children by providing the equipment, support and life skills they need, when they need them - giving them the chance to develop their full potential. they provide disabled children and young people with vital mobility equipment, and life journey services, giving them opportunities to build friendships and have fun, and training to help them gain skills and look forward to a bright future.  Provide equipment for young people up to the age of 18 and services available for wheelchair users up to the age of 25.