Living with a disability comes with so many extra hidden costs. They might be small, but it adds up over time. At MoneyMagpie, we believe in making sure everyone has the information they need to access discounts and benefits they deserve, so today let’s take a look at the best disability discounts you could claim.
What Counts as a Disability?
You might think that you’re not entitled to disability discounts because you’re in full-time work or your household income is too high. Or, worse, you’ve been told you’re ‘not disabled enough’ because you seem to manage day-to-day.
A disability is considered by the Equality Act 2010 if you have a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term negative effect on your ability to do normal daily activities.
So, for example, if you’ve got a broken leg that will heal, you’re not disabled. But if that broken leg leads to permanent nerve damage that affects how far you can walk, that could be counted as a disability.
What Disability Benefits Are Available?
If your disability prevents you from working, or from working full-time, you may be entitled to some disability benefits. Most fall under Universal Credit, such as receiving an extra allowance in the Low Capability for Work and Work-Related Activity group, which you need to take an assessment for.
Some aren’t means-tested, however. Which means it doesn’t matter if you’re working or if you have a high household income. Personal Independent Payment, for example, is designed to recognise the extra costs that come with living with a disability. If you need to always order your groceries online as you can’t stand up long enough to shop or push a trolley, PIP could cover your delivery costs.
Students may also be able to apply for the Disabled Students Allowance or additional grants from their university to help with the cost of study.
To find out if you’re entitled to benefits you didn’t know you could claim, use an online calculator such as EntitledTo or Turn2Us.
What About Disability Discounts?
Concessions for disabled people are more common than you might expect – some are well known, while others are well-kept secrets. For example, did you know that you might be able to avoid queues at theme parks if you’re disabled? It’s true! Get in touch with the theme park to find out their specific details.
Sometimes, you need to be claiming a benefit to access the discount. The benefit is usually either Universal Credit, Attendance Allowance, Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, and/or Personal Independent Payment. This isn’t always the case, so check the small print of things before you think you’re ineligible.
Warm Home Discount
If you’re in a low-income household and disabled, you could get up to £150 off your winter energy bill each year. Contact your supplier to find out about how to access their Warm Home Discount scheme.
You may also qualify for a low-income tariff, so if you feel your energy bill is excessively high (especially if you need to charge wheelchair batteries or run equipment for many hours each day), get in touch with your supplier.
Water Discounts
Water bills are estimated based on household size, unless you have a water meter. However, if you use extra water because of your disability, such as needing to wash clothes and bedding daily, you could receive a discount. Check your supplier’s website and look for WaterSure to find out more.
Blue Badge
Blue Badges are awarded to people with physical and mental conditions that limit their ability to walk far. This could be a physical disability such as a mobility condition like arthritis in the knees, or a mental one like severe anxiety which requires someone to help you navigate places.
You will need to undergo an assessment to decide whether you can receive a Blue Badge. Contact your local authority to find out how.
When you have a Blue Badge, you can often park for free in council car parks or designated street parking, and some private car parks offer a discount or limited free time for disabled drivers. You will also be able to park for free in disabled bays at your local hospital, which is useful when attending appointments. It will also entitle you to free access on some toll roads, including the M6, Mersey Gateway Bridge, and Dartford Crossing.
The Blue Badge can be used as proof of a disability for some other concessions, such as theatre tickets (see below for more).
Rail Discounts
You could be entitled to a Disabled Person’s Railcard which means you can receive big discounts on rail travel. The card costs £20 a year but saves most users an average of £105 a year. You need to be in receipt of a disability benefit or have a visual or hearing impairment or epilepsy to qualify.
Television Licence Discount
If you have a visual impairment or are blind, you qualify for a 50 percent discount on your Television Licence. In 2024, that means it will cost you £84.75 instead of £169.50. If you’re older than 75 and receive Pension Credit, your TV Licence is free.
Grants for Home Adaptations
Your local authority can offer grants to aid with (or fully cover) the cost of installing equipment that will help make your day-to-day life easier. This might be putting in rails around the shower, installing a ramp to your front door, or even replacing a bathroom with a wet room to make it fully accessible. Contact your council to find out more.
Free Disabled Toilet Access
When you’re out and about, many places are limited when allowing non-customers from using their toilet facilities, so you might find yourself buying a coffee you don’t need or want just to use the loo. You can apply for a free ‘Just Can’t Wait’ card to discreetly ask for help. In addition, or buy a RADAR key to be able to unlock disabled toilets in many places.
Council Tax Discount
If you or someone you live with is ‘severely mentally impaired’, you can be disregarded from paying Council Tax or a portion of it. A single person living alone with an impairment will get a full discount, while if they live with another person it is a 25% discount. This is a medical diagnosis and won’t always apply to conditions such as dementia, so contact your local authority to find out if you qualify.
People living in larger houses because they need space to move around or for equipment to aid living with their disability could also apply for a disabled reduction. This only applies if you require extra floor space to move around with mobility aids or an extra bathroom or other room to meet your disability-specific needs.
Days Out and Entertainment
Finally, one of our favourite disability discounts at MoneyMagpie to save money is the concession ticket. Many places with an entry fee will offer a discounted entry for disabled people, but even better is that a lot will allow a free companion ticket, too. This is everything from theatres to National Trust properties to summer music festivals.
Most entertainment venues or organisers will have the information on their website, so make sure you check it out before you book. If you can’t see anything online, call the box office or venue to find out what they can offer. Even if they don’t offer a discount, you might be able to take advantage of things like early entrance, not having to queue, or booking seats with extra legroom.
So there you have it: a quick (ish) summary of the disability discounts you could get. The biggest tip from the MoneyMagpie team is this: if you can’t see a disability discount promoted anywhere, ask! You may be surprised what’s on offer.
