Health Advice

Support and job opportunities for people with disabilities: is working for yourself an option?

Posted on August 27, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

There are many areas in the lives of disabled people in which they may need additional support and assistance: housing, work, education, money, leisure, personal relationships, etc.

To help them access the help which is available through local and national organisations, the Department of Health has launched an online portal dedicated exclusively to the needs of disabled people. To access the Depatment of Health`s “Practical Guide for Disabled People or Carers”, please follow this link.

An area which could be particularly problematic for disabled people is employment. While there is a list of organisations and initiatives launched to assist people with disabilities in employment and link them to job opportunities, self-employment is another option worth considering.

What support is available to disabled people who consider starting up their own business and becoming self-employed?

Income Tax Allowance: on expenses including travel, subscriptions to magazines, heating and lighting the workplace in your home. If you have a disability and usually work 16 hours or more a week, you may be able to get extra tax credits. The disability must be one that makes it hard for you to get a job and you must be receiving, or have recently received, a qualifying sickness or disability-related benefit. To find out how to get extra tax credits, visit the HM Revenue and Customs website.

The Enterprise Finance Guarantee (EFG): the government`s guaranteed lending scheme intended to help smaller viable businesses who may be struggling to secure finance, by facilitating bank loans of between £1,000 and £1 million. To find out additional information please following this link.

Business Start-up Allowance from some Learning and Skills Councils (LSC) in England and The National Council for Education and Training for Wales or Local Enterprise Councils (LECs) in Scotland is part of a package which includes training in setting up a business and business planning.

All newly self-employed people have to register for National Insurance contributions and Income Tax. Booklet PFE1 from the Inland Revenue contains a registration form for National Insurance contributions and Income Tax. Many disabled people will not have to pay National Insurance contributions if they earn below the threshold. You will also not have to pay VAT if your annual turnover is less than a certain amount. If, however, it is above this amount, you will need to apply to Customs and Excise for VAT registration (0845 0109000). Further information is available from the Self-Employed Agency on 0845 9154515.

You can find all information necessary for setting up and developing your own business from the website of Business Link.

Where can people with disabilities find further help?

Take a look at the following booklet “Setting up in Business: A Resource Guide for Disabled People and their Advisers”. It contains practical information about tax, Access to Work Scheme, business planning, grants, finance and working from home.

You can request a copy by emailing: info@disabled-entrepreneurs.net

Disability Charity Leonard Cheshire and Sir Stelios Hajiloannou

Run the annual Stelios Disabled Entrepreneur Award with a prize of £50 000.
You can find more information on the application procedure by visiting the organisation`s website.

Benefits Enquiry Line
for advice about all benefits and how to claim them.
Phone free: 0800 882200 (Mon-Fri 8.30-18.30, Sat 9.00-13.00);
For help filling in claim forms, phone free: 0800 441144.

Disability Benefits Helpline
Tel: 0845 7123456, for advice on Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance.

Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABs)
Provides advice on a wide range of money, housing, legal and other problems. See your phone book for local numbers.

DIAL (Disability Information Advice Line)
Run mostly by disabled people. See phone book for your local DIAL or call DIAL-UK.
Tel/textphone: (01302) 310123.

Disability Rights Commission.
Helpline: 0845 7622633 (Mon-Fri 8.00-20.00);

Disabled Living Centres (DLCs)
Local centres where you can see, try out and get information and advice on equipment. See ‘Equipment and aids for daily living’ under ‘Help with everyday needs’ for a list of centres or call the Disabled Living Centres Council. Tel: (0161) 834 1044;

RADAR (The Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation)
Has a wide selection of helpful publications.
Tel: (020) 7250 3222

This article has been published in Issue 5 of Action for Social Integration’s Community Advice E-Newsletter, August 29th 2010

Newsletter October 2010

Monthly Archives: October 2010

Do you have ‘limited leave to remain’?

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Action for Social Integration
If you or somebody you know has been granted ‘limited leave to remain’ as you are a refugee or migrant that has been granted humanitarian protection, then you will be aware that you are granted this for a period of five years.. Continue reading →

Family Reunion for Asylum seekers

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Action for Social Integration
If you have claimed Asylum here in the United Kingdom or you are under Humanitarian protection, you are more than likely to want to be reunited with your family members… Continue reading →

Who can work in the United Kingdom?

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Action for Social Integration
If you are a British National Citizen or a Citizen from the EU then you are automatically eligible to work without a work permit. For Citizens of all other countries, you must have a work permit... Continue reading →

Domestic Violence

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

Many people may think that domestic violence only applies to Women, but Men may suffer as much as women do...  Continue reading →

Do you know about the new Equality Act 2010?
Posted on November 2, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

Under the new Equality Act 2010, all previous laws relating to Employment and Discrimination will be merged together within the Equality Act to make the law less complex and easier to understand whether you are an employer or …
Continue reading →

Are you entitled to Working Tax Credits and who can apply?

Posted on November 2, 2010 by Action for Social Integration
Are you employed or self employed and work more than 16 hours per week?  If you are, you may be eligible for Working tax Credits if you are on a low income...
Continue reading →

Dealing with School Exclusion

Posted on June 10, 2010 by Action for Social Integration

 

How to deal with your child`s permanent exclusion from school? The government`s guidance on the law on exclusion states that a child can only be permanently excluded from school if they have “seriously broken the school`s behavioral policy or if it would seriously harm the education or welfare of themselves or others if they stayed at school”.

! Remember, the following are not considered legitimate reasons for exclusion: poor performance at school, failure to provide homework, breaking appearance rules, being late for classes, minor incidents caused in protection from bullying, truancy or pregnancy.

! Remember, if you decide to apply to a new school, your child cannot be refused a place because of previous exclusions, unless s/he has had two previous exclusions in the last 2 years.

How to challenge your child`s exclusion?

If you child has been excluded permanently from school, you have the right to challenge her/her exclusion by making representations to the school governors. If you fail to reach an agreement, the next step you can take is to appeal to the Independent Appeal Panel. Displayed below is a short outline of the procedure you need to follow for appealing to the school governors:

1.     Prepare and send a letter requesting a meeting with the school governors. Once you let the governors know that you wish to meet them, they are be required to meet you within 5-16 school days of the exclusion.
(In order to acquire a sample letter for requesting a meeting with the school governors, please contact the newsletter editor on editor@agsi.org.uk)

! Remember to always keep copies of all your correspondence

2.     Prepare a Summary of your case to read out to the governors at the meeting. This Summary can be used again if you need to present your case to the Independent Appeal Panel, has your appeal with the school governors been unsuccessful. Collect as much evidence relating to/challenging the reasons for exclusion as possible, as well as evidence relating to the exclusion procedure. The following is an example of an evidence relating to the exclusion procedures which can be particularly helpful in your case:

! If your child`s exclusion follows from an incident related to discrimination or bullying, and your child belong to the category of children “at risk within the education system” (minority ethnic groups, asylum seekers and refugees, pregnant schoolgirls or teenage mothers, looked after children), you should enquire if the school has taken account of this. What actions has the school taken to help your child manage their behaviour? Has the school requested advice on dealing with your child`s behaviour, etc. Note this down in your Summary.

(In order to acquire a sample Summary, please contact the newsletter editor on editor@agsi.org.uk)

The governors must let you know of their decision in writing within 1 school day of the hearing.

! Remember, your child should receive work from the school for the first 5 days of the exclusion and the school should arrange for it to be marked.  From the 6th days, the Local Authority must provide suitable full time education for your child.

! Remember, it is very important that your child stays at home during school hours in the first 5 days of exclusion. If s/he is found in public space without a good reason, you might be fined with £50.