Benefits and financial assistance
If your voices are making it too difficult for you to work, or you need help with the cost of living because of a mental health condition, you may be able to claim benefits such as Universal Credit, Personal Independence Payment or Employment and Support Allowance.
If you’re an undergraduate or postgraduate student, you may be able to get funding to cover any extra essential costs you might have as a result of your voices through a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA).
Remember: The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) and your local council do not have to tell you what benefits you should claim, so it is up to you to make sure you get the financial assistance you are entitled to.
There are a range of tools and online resources that can help make this task easier. For example:
- Mental Health and Money Advice is a useful website that provides clear, practical advice and support for people experiencing issues with mental health and money. The pages on Welfare Benefits might be particularly helpful.
- The charity Turn2us have an online benefits calculator that can be used to see what you might be able to claim. Please remember that this tool is a guide, and cannot tell you if your claim will be successful.
- DIAL is a national network, supported by the charity Scope, of 120 disability advice centres run by and for people with disabilities. They can provide free, impartial welfare advice. Call the Scope helpline on 0808 800 3333 and they will direct you to support in your area.
Other sources of information and support regarding benefits and financial assistance include:
- Recovery in the Bin’s advice links
- The Carers’ Trust’s information on benefits.
- Activist and campaigning organisations such as Disabled People Against Cuts
NEXT: VOICES AND CREATIVITY
Explores the different ways in which voices can shape works of art, literature and music, and how creative activities can help with coping.
