5. FINANCIAL HELP/DISABLED PARKING

5.1 Benefits
5.2 Suggestions for finding additional funding.

The Family Fund
Tottenham Grammer Schools Foundation

5.3 Disabled Parking Badges

On top of any normal welfare benefits, you are eligible to apply for Disability Living Allowance (which is paid for the child), and Invalid Care Allowance (which is paid to any carer who looks after a child more than 35 hours a week and earns less than approx £60 a week through other taxable payments).

You can ask for the forms through a OneStopShop in Haringey, or call 0845 7123456 and ask for forms. The forms are an absolute nightmare to fill in and seem designed to put you off completing them by making them so complex and repetitive. For under 5s, you need to fill them in each year to re-apply. From 3, your child is eligible for Motability - a mobility allowance which you can use to buy a car. When the child approaches 5, you have to re-fill in your Disability Living Allowance form, your Invalid Care Allowance Forms (if appropriate) and the Mobility Allowance form, which is attached to the Disability Living Allowance forms. But once they grant you an allowance you agree with, this should then remain unchanged for the next 5 or 6 years.

There was once a special needs health visitor in Haringey named Judy Newton, based at the CDC at St Ann's hospital, who helped parents of autistic children with this particularly difficult and onerous task but she left some time ago. The post was recently filled and it may be worth pursuing this route to see if you can get some help here.

Theoretically you can go any OneStopShop, and someone at any one should have received training from Judy Newton on helping you fill them in. You are probably best advised speaking to other parents of autistic children who have already had to fill them in, or to speak to the National Autistic Society helpline or Autism London's helpline.

Essentially both Disability Living Allowance(DLA) and Mobility Allowance are paid at different rates depending upon the severity of the child. Do NOT understate the problems your child is faced with and can face you with, and particularly be very clear about night time problems - incontinence, difficulty going to sleep, many wakenings, tantrums, fits, lack of sleep needed by child etc etc. Higher benefit rates for Disability Living Allowance is only paid for those with night -time problems, so if your nights are disturbed regularly, spell it out very clearly. The NAS and Resources for Autism produce leaflets about how to fill in these forms which are extremely helpful.

1. Resources for Autism website: www.resourcesforautism.org.uk
2. NAS DLA Factsheet: Click Here

Documenting in detail your child's every daytime and night-time problem, and every issue you face getting your child about outside the home is a fairly depressing task. Make sure you photocopy the forms before sending them off, so that you are clear about what you wrote if they do not award you the level you expect and can then challenge them, and also to help you fill the forms in the following year - much of it will be the same.

5.2 Suggestions for finding additional funding.    (Back to Top)

5.2.1 The Family Fund

Financed by government and administered by the Rowntree Memorial Trust for children with a severe handicap (and they include autism in this category). There is no formal means test to obtain funds from the Family Fund, though you are less likely to obtain help if your family income is over £20,500 per year. They have funding for over 80,000 families, but last year only 12,000 families applied so it is well worth applying.

You can apply once a year every year. Things you might apply for could include:

A holiday (not more than £350)
Outings
Fridges/freezers/ etc
Beds
Transport costs (if you are NOT already receiving higher rate DLA mobility allowance)
Driving lessons
Visiting costs if the child is in hospital
Specialist play and leisure equipment
Removal expenses

Contact them for a form - they will require your name and address and the child's GP. Someone from the Fund will visit to follow their guidelines. From application for funding to a decision is reasonably fast - around 6 weeks. (They can also give you leaflets on other charities who fund children with autism/special needs).

The Family Fund PO Box 50 York
YO1 1UY
Tel: 01904 621115.

5.2.2 Tottenham Grammer Schools Foundation  (Back to Top)

A local fund which help with anything educational provided the school/group or individual lives in the Tottenham area. Things you might apply for could be:-

• A computer
• Play equipment
• Toys
• A laptop
• Classes
• Communication aids

Apply to : Mr G Chappell, Tottenham Grammar School Foundation, P O Box 30498, London N13 5XU. Tel: 020 8882 2999

5.3 Disabled Parking Badges

Provided by Haringey Council Disabled Parking: Tel: 8489 0000. These are a godsend to many parents of autistic children with severe behavioural problems, allowing them to park closer to shopping, schools, doctors, etc. Due to abuse of the system nationwide, these ‘blue badges', once known as ‘orange badges', are much harder to get. For children above 5, you may need to be receiving Disability Living Allowance Mobility Allowance at the highest level, plus you may need letters of support from a professional such as your GP or health worker to obtain one.
For NAS blue badge scheme information file: Click Here

(No congestion charge also if you have a Blue Badge! You need to register though and there is a one off £10 charge for this. Write to Blue Badge Congestion Charge, Dept TR 121, FREEPOST, SWC 1539 PO Box 35, Leominster HR6 0ZZ, or e-mail: information@ccbluebadge.com quoting code DN08 and the serial number of your badge)