Living On Less

Reading this will save you hundreds of £££'s!

Perhaps you're struggling to make ends meet on benefits. Or maybe you're only able to work part time and your earnings have gone down.

Whatever your financial situation, we can help you live on less.

Some of these money-saving tips are not widely publicised. So we see it as our job to dig them out and tell you the information loud and clear. Please note that some things may only be available in some areas and not others - please check.

Money Saving Tips

Public Utilities (Gas, Electricity, Water)

For more information on what assistance, both financial and practicle please visit the Public Utilities page.

Dental Charges

If you have a low income you may be eligible for help with Dental Charges.

Pay Less Council Tax

If a disabled person lives in the property, the council tax bill may be reduced by one band. In some areas, this could save hundreds of pounds.

To qualify, a wheelchair must be used indoors, or a room must be used to meet the needs of the disabled person. If you claim, your council could easily send round an inspector to make sure you are a bona fide wheelchair user.

British Telecom - Free Directory Enquiry Service

Every time you dial 118 500  for Directory Enquiries, you are charged 23p per minute (charged by the second) with a 40p connection charge from BT landlines . If you do this frequently, it can all add up to a tidy sum. But you don't have to spend any of your money on this - you can get the service free!

This is for people with disabilities who find it difficult to use the phone book. Multiple Sclerosis is one of the qualifying conditions. All you have to do is fill in an application form and send it off.

They can also help with advice on special equipment to make using the phone easier, such as big button telephones. You will also get priority fault repair.

Ring 0800 671 504 for the BT Age and Disability Unit. Or else write to: BT, Freepost SF365, Sheffield, S62 NT

Free Public Transport

If you are registered disabled, your council may offer you a Freedom Pass, or something similar. This gives you free travel in your area on buses and tubes (eg London). To qualify, you may need to be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance with the higher rate mobility component. Contact your local council.

Subsidised Taxis

Your council may offer you a subsidised taxi scheme whereby you only pay a small proportion of the fare on the meter. See if your council has an Accessible Transport Unit, or something similar. Even if they don't offer subsidised taxis, they may have a free bus scheme for disabled people.

The Blue Badge Scheme

If you get DLA as above, you should be able to get an Blue Badge from your local council. This is worth its weight in gold! It means you can park for free in disabled bays and in some circumstances on yellow lines. Depending on where you live, it can save you huge amounts which would otherwise be spent on parking meters or pay and display tickets.

Discount on Trains

Get one third off train journeys with a Disabled Persons Railcard. To apply, you will be asked for documentary evidence such as your Certificate of Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance (DLA 404).

Write to: Disabled Persons Railcard Office, PO Box 1YT, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE99 1YT

Huge Savings for the over 50's

If you are over 50 you can join clubs which give whopping savings on a wide range of goods and services such as telephone, energy (gas and electricity), insurance, supplements and domestic goods. You can save up to £100 over high street outlets on items such as washing machines and vacuum cleaners.

Saga costs only £24.95 a year to join, but you get that back many times from the savings you can make. For example, with the Saga Telephone Service you can save a guaranteed 25% on calls.

To join write to: Saga, FREEPOST CU250, Folkestone, Kent CT20 1BR.

Website: http://www.saga.co.uk/

Get a New Car for Next to Nothing

If you qualify for the mobility component of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) at the higher rate, you should be eligible for a Motability car.

The wonderful Motability scheme is a Godsend to thousands of disabled people. You can get a brand new car on loan for three years, with nil or a very low deposit. Even better - you get free insurance, free servicing and free membership of the RAC. What a boon! The Motability dealer who sells you the car of your choice gets paid for the car by Motability Finance Ltd, who collect your DLA direct.

Motability also have their own magazine, 'Lifestyle', which - apart from being a good read - offers many good discounts on household goods, aids, and gadgets. They also offer up to 30% discounts on holidays. Examples are up to 30% off a Butlins break, 12% off thousands of holidays, and good deals on ferries and cruises.

Motability
Customer Information Line: 01279-635 666
Website: www.motability.co.uk
Or write to: Motability, Harlow, Essex, CM20 2YQ

If you have any money saving tips, please write to us at:

Living on Less
MSRC
Unsworth House
Hythe Quay
Colchester
Essex
CO2 8JF

Contact MSRC

© Multiple Sclerosis Resource Centre (MSRC)