Finance

Being a young, disabled person you can access a number of benefits to help with your living costs since you may be unable to work or simply require more money to pay carers and such like. Parents or carers can also claim benefits for looking after you and helping you with aspects of everyday life.

Main Benefits that can be claimed by young people with disabilities.

• Incapacity Benefit in Youth - available to people aged 16-20 who are unfit to work due to disability or long-term illness, this is not means tested and depends solely on whether the young person is fit to work or not.
• Income Support - if a young person decides to claim benefits in their own right, they should claim this along with Incapacity Benefit regardless of whether they're still at school or not.
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) - qualification for this benefit is dependant upon how much care someone requires in day-to-day life and the amount of support they require in getting around. It is paid over and above other benefits and you're eligible to claim this whether you are in employment or not.
• Job Seekers Allowance (JSA) Direct Payments - all disabled persons aged 16 or over are eligible to receive these which are used to arrange services to meet their community care needs.
• Working Tax Credit - this is for anyone aged 16 or over who have a disability or illness that puts them at a disadvantage in getting a job. Normally this is awarded to people who work around 16hrs a week and cannot work more due to their disability.
• Permitted Work - this enables people with a disability who are on benefits to try a job for a period of time without jeopardising their rights to benefits. 

Benefits that can be claimed whilst studying.

• Disabled Students' Allowance - this comes in forms of grants which are used to help students meet their needs whilst studying, for example; specialist equipment, non-medical helpers and additional travel costs may be required.

There are many other types of financial support which a young person with a disability can receive. To find out about any of the above, or others which are offered, contact Perth & Kinross Council, your local Job Centre or visit http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/index.htm