Young people with mental health difficulties and eating disorders needing specialised CAMHS care are entitled to apply for benefits.  This includes Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

• These benefits are not means tested.
• These benefits are not stopped for children in hospital (more on this below).

Please speak to your Family Ambassador if you would like help to complete the forms.

DLA (under 16 years): 0800 121 4600

PIP (16 years and over): 0800 917 2222

When requesting a PIP application form, the call handler will ask to speak to the young person.  If they are in hospital, you can explain that you need to be an appointee, and make the call for them.  Make sure you have their National Insurance number, bank details and GP contact details to hand.

* So long as your child is under 18 when they become an inpatient, DLA or PIP can continue in hospital.*

If your child is under 16 years, apply for Disability Living Allowance (DLA). If they are over 16 years, apply for Personal Independence Payments (PIP). DLA does not stop when your young person is in hospital, no matter how long their stay. PIP only stops for young people who are admitted to hospital if they are over 18 years of age on admission. If they are admitted before they are 18 years, PIP continues for their stay, no matter how long.

You can find more information about this on the Contact website – payment of DLA.

Often when parents visit their child in a CAMHS unit, there is an informal meeting to discuss their child’s care needs, appointments for family therapy, or for more formal meetings.  Sometimes their visit to the child supports their care plan in other ways.  In these situations,  1 or 2 visits per week may also be considered for an appointment.

If you are on qualifying benefits*, you may be eligible for full reimbursement when travelling for appointments.  Please ask your ward team or family ambassador for more information.

If you have savings of less than £16,000, with a small gap between your income and outgoings, you may be eligible for part or all your travel costs (for appointments) to be reimbursed.  Government guidance states “Patients who might not consider themselves to be on a low income should be encouraged to make a claim if their savings are below the current limits.”

If this applies to you, please click this link LIS Orders (nhsbsa.nhs.uk) and order an HC1 form and an HC5 form.

*Qualifying benefits

• Income Support
• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
• income-related Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit Guarantee Credit
• you receive Universal Credit and meet the criteria
• NHS tax credit exemption certificate (conditions apply)

If travelling for visits is placing you in financial hardship, please talk to the unit Social Worker or your Family Ambassador.

If you are in employment (or have previously been in the armed forces) and are experiencing financial hardship you may want to explore your employer’s financial hardship fund.

More information in a printable form is available in our ‘printable resources’ page.

Another area of financial support is Carers Allowance.  Carers Allowance is means tested, but based only on the individual carer’s income, not that of the whole family.   More information can be found here.

If your young person requires a general hospital stay (acute hospital rather than inpatient), ask any member of nursing staff about the ‘Carers Passport’ as you are supporting your cared for young person during their stay.  The passport provides access to a range of benefits including concessions on parking, beverages and food.  Hospitals are keen to work with you as partners in care and will support you in doing this, including staying overnight if you wish.  See details for your local hospital below.

Royal Berkshire Hospital (Reading): Carer information and Carer Passport – Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust

If you are providing care to a patient while they are in our hospital we will offer you:
• Free car parking permit
• Free tea or coffee;
• Meal voucher

Great Western Hospital (Swindon): Carers | Great Western Hospital

Royal United Hospital (Bath):  Carer Hub | Royal United Hospitals Bath

Please ask any member of our nursing staff about the Carers Passport, and they will be able to issue you with one.  The card provides access to a range of benefits including discounted parking and refreshments.

We support carers to have open access to visiting, and to stay with patients who have enhanced needs and require extra support.  Please speak to the nurse in charge.

Gloucestershire Royal (Cheltenham): Information for carers

To acknowledge your help and support the Carers Passport gives you access to the following:

• access to drinks while on ward
• access to toilet and washing facilities on ward
• access to appropriate car parking concessions
• access to your relative outside of normal visiting hours

Please talk to the ward staff if you would like to know more about the Carers Passport.

• MIND Benefits Service – a free service for help with existing benefits or claiming new ones for anyone living in Oxfordshire.
• www.fightback4justice.co.uk advice and advocacy for DLA and PIP.  There is access to an advice line for a small fee.
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for children: Overview (Gov.UK) help with the extra costs of looking after children under 16 years who need much more looking after than a child of the same age without a disability.
• Personal Independence Payment (PIP): What PIP is for (Gov.UK) to help with the extra costs of living for those with a physical or mental health condition, or disability and over 16 years.
• Check what benefits to claim if you’re sick or disabled (Citizens Advice) advice on benefits such as Universal Credit and Jobseekers Allowance.
• Benefits and financial support if you’re caring for someone (Gov.UK) details on applying for Carers Allowance.  See also Support for carers page.