What help is available?
If you have epilepsy, you may be entitled to different sources of help. You are entitled to free prescriptions for your epilepsy (and all other) medications. You may be able to get financial help towards the cost of travel to medical appointments and to work. You may also be entitled to discounted bus, rail and tube travel in some areas. You may be eligible for some welfare benefits and tax credits. If you need support with daily living or equipment, an assessment from social services may be helpful. There is also help available if you are a carer of a person with epilepsy.
Your entitlements will depend on what your epilepsy is like and how it affects you. The infomration below tells you more, and includes the contact details and links to other sources of information and help.
Financial help
Free prescriptions
People with epilepsy are able to receive free prescriptions for their anti-epileptic medication, as well as any other prescribed drugs (but not dental treatment or eye tests). To apply for free prescriptions, fill in the form FP92A, (or EC92A in Scotland, FP92W in Wales or HC11B in Northern Ireland), from your doctors’ surgery or pharmacy.
Travel costs for medical appointments
If you are on a low income or on benefits you may be able to claim back some of your costs of travelling to some medical appointments, under the Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme. Contact DirecGov (opens in a new window) or the Health Costs Advice Line on 0845 850 1166.
Access to work
If you are unable to use public transport because of your epilepsy, you may be able to get financial help towards the cost of your transport to and from work, as part of the Access to Work (AtW) scheme. Contact your local Jobcentre Plus office or visit www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk (opens in a new window) for further information and details of your nearest AtW team.
Discounted bus, train and coach travel
People with epilepsy are often eligible for discounted travel as they are classed as being 'disabled' if they would be refused a driving licence if they applied for one. If you have had a seizure in the last year and so wouldn't be allowed to drive, you should be eligible for a free pass. You may have to pay for a letter from your doctor to confirm that you are eligible.
England: People with disabilities are eligible for a free national bus pass. This can be used between 9.30am and 11pm Monday to Friday, and all day at weekends and Bank Holidays, anywhere in England.
Contact your local council for an application form or visit: www.direct.gov.uk/en/travelandtransport (opens in a new window) for more information.
London: You may be entitled to a Freedom Pass which gives free bus, train, tram and tube travel.
Contact your local council for an application form or visit www.freedompass.org (opens in a new window) for more information.
Scotland: If you live in Scotland and have had a seizure within the last 12 months, you should be entitled to a Scotland-wide free bus travel with the National Entitlement Card'.
Contact your post office or local council (or Travel Card Unit in Strathclyde) for an application form, call the Epilepsy Scotland Helpline on 0808 800 2200 or visit www.transportscotland.gov.uk (opens in a new window).
Wales: People with disabilities are eligible for free bus travel throughout Wales at any hour of the day, with no restrictions on peak or off peak hours.
Contact your local council for an application for or visit www.direct.gov.uk (opens in a new window).
Other transport: You may also be able to get a disabled person’s railcard. This card gives you, and a companion, a third off most fares. Call 0845 605 0525 or visit www.disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk (opens in a new window).
Some coach operators, such as National Express, offer half-fare schemes for people with disabilities.
Contact the companies directly for more details.
If you live in Merseyside you may be eligible for free travel on rail, buses and ferries.
Contact Merseytravel on 0151 236 6056.
Benefits
If you have epilepsy you may be entitled to benefits, depending on what your epilepsy is like and how it affects you.
Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) are benefits that do not depend on your income, or whether or not you work. In general, DLA is for people who are under 65 and AA for those over 65. To be entitled to one of these benefits you need to have ‘care needs’ or ‘mobility needs’, which may include the need for supervision.
The following organisations have information on benefits.
- Benefits Enquiry Line: 0800 882 200.
- Advice and information for disabled people and carers on the range of benefits available. They may be able to help with completing the forms.
- DIAL UK: 01302 310 123 (10am - 4pm) or visit www.dialuk.info (opens in a new window).
- Independent, trained benefits advisors who may also be able to help with completing forms.
- Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB): see your local phone book or visit www.citizensadvice.org.uk (opens in a new window).
- Information on benefits.
- Direct Gov: www.direct.gov.uk (opens in a new window).
- A Government site with benefit information.
Working Tax Credit
This tax credit is for people who work on a low income. If you have a disability you may also be entitled to additional working tax credit depending on what benefits you receive.
Call the Tax Credit Helpline on 0845 300 3900 for more information and an application form, or contact your local council or Jobcentre Plus.
VAT exemption
Some equipment designed specifically to help people with disabilities does not include VAT.
Call the HM Customs and Excise National Advice Service on 0845 010 9000 for information or visit www.hmrc.gov.uk (opens in a new window).
Help from Social Services
Depending on what your epilepsy is like, you may be entitled to have an assessment of your needs. Contact your local social services department to ask for an assessment, or a health professional can ask for this on your behalf.
An assessment normally takes place in your home and looks at whether you have any physical difficulties, health needs, social recreation needs or housing needs, and what support you already receive, for example from family or friends. If the assessment identifies that you have care needs which meet the local authority’s criteria for community care services, then they have a duty to provide or arrange for provision of these services. Sometimes there will be a charge.
Community care services help people to live as independent and full a life as possible, and may include home help, adaptations to the home. Adaptations might include installing a shower or an alarm system, providing meals, and access to recreational activities.
Help for carers
If you are a carer for someone with a disability, and this is not paid or voluntary work, you may be able to receive some help, even if you are not living with the person you are caring for.
You may be entitled to a Carer’s assessment from your social services department. This may identify the need for home help, respite care, emotional support or other services. Some carers can claim Carer’s Allowance (see Benefits section for agencies who can give more information).
There are organisations that support carers by giving information, providing respite care and campaigning for carers' rights.
See page on carers for more information (opens in a new window).
Disability Discrimination Act (DDA)
The DDA protects people with disabilities from being treated unfairly because of their disability. This includes areas such as access to goods, facilities and services, education, and employment. Most people with epilepsy are covered by the Act, even if their seizures are controlled with medication. For example, it is unlawful for an employer to treat a person with a disability less favourably than another person due to their disability, unless there is a justifiable reason.
- From 1 October 2010 the DDA will be replaced by the Equality Act 2010. This Act will bring together all the current laws around discrimination (such as around disability, age and race).
- Visit www.equalities.gov.uk (opens in a new window).for more information about the Equality Act 2010.
© National Society for Epilepsy
Information produced July 2010. Next review February 2012.
