Disabled Parking - The Blue Badge Scheme

The Blue Badge Scheme enables people with severe mobility problems to access goods and services by allowing them to park closer to their destination. The scheme is open to eligible disabled people irrespective of whether they are a driver or passenger. For more information, please…

Support to help vulnerable residents stay warm this winter

Winter Watch Winter Watch offers advice and help to older people, people with disabilities or long term health conditions and families with very young children whose health and well being is most at risk because their homes are cold and damp. This includes: a home energy…

Do you need help to live at home?

If you need help around the home then please check out the options such as Technology Enabled Care (assistive technology), meal delivery services, equipment, etc...  To find out about the support that is available to you locally, please click on this sentence for further information…

Vehicle road tax exemption and reduction

If you’re disabled or have a serious long-term condition, you may be exempt from vehicle excise duty (known as road tax or car tax).  You’ll qualify for tax exemption if you’re eligible for the higher rate of mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance (DLA),…

Help with health costs

You and/or the person you care for may be eligible for help with some health costs. Click here for further information about health costs. Page last reviewed: 21/07/2021

NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS)

If you are referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme…

Working and caring

Although working alongside caring can be difficult to juggle, it does ensure you have a life outside your caring responsibilities which provides different challenges, the chance to meet/stay in contact with other people and some financial stability. Should I give up work? Many carers feel…

Social care for the person you look after

Reading Borough Council and Brighter Futures for Children provide community based social care services for families with a disabled child and adults who are dependent on others for care and/or support because they are older, have a physical or learning disability, have a visual and/or…

Help with decision making (Power of Attorney)

Power of Attorney If the person you look after lacks the capacity to make decisions about their care (because of a learning disability, head injury, dementia etc.) the Council will discuss their needs with the person/people legally allowed to make welfare and/or financial decisions for…

Attendance Allowance for people over 65

Attendance Allowance is a benefit for people aged 65 or over who have a physical disability (including sensory disability, e.g. blindness), a mental disability (including learning difficulties), or both and their disability is severe enough for them to need help caring for themselves or someone to…