Living Independently

Are you confused about what benefits you are entitled to and how to apply for them? How to apply for Direct Payments or your Personal Budget?

The national disability charity, United Response, has launched a new free guide to help people with learning disabilities, who want to live more independently, make financial decisions about their future. The new edition of the easy read Moving on and Planning Ahead guide is fully updated and includes sections on getting and managing Direct Payments, employing a personal assistant and benefit entitlement. There is also up-to-date information on the new Employment Support Allowance (ESA).

The guide is part of the Making Money Easier series – a set of resources which aim to support people with learning disabilities to make informed decisions, by presenting financial information in a simple and straightforward way. Diane Lightfoot, Director of Communications at United Response, said: “As funding mechanisms such as direct payments are making it possible for people with learning disabilities to manage their own support for the first time, it is becoming ever more important for people to have access to easy to understand financial information. ”

To download a copy of Moving on and Planning Ahead, please visit Making Money Easier making-money-easier.info

On the Making Money Easier website there is also information on banking, renting a flat and insurance. All are presented in an easy-to-read format.