what help is available?
Bus and tube travel
England: if you have had a seizure in the last year
you should be eligible for a free naonal bus pass.
Some councils have addional travel discounts.
Visit gov.uk/apply-for-disabled-bus-pass or contact
your local council.
London: you may be eligible for a Freedom Pass which
gives free bus, train, tram and tube travel in London.
Call 0300 330 1433 or visit londoncouncils.gov.uk
Some boroughs have a London Taxicard Scheme for
reduced cost taxi travel.
Call 0207 934 9791 or visit londoncouncils.gov.uk
Merseyside: you may be eligible for a Travel Pass.
Call 0151 227 5181 or visit merseytravel.gov.uk
Scotland: the Naonal Entlement Card gives you
free bus travel throughout Scotland.
Contact your local authority (or Travel Card Unit for
Strathclyde) or call Epilepsy Scotland on 0808 800 2200.
Northern Ireland: if you cannot drive due to epilepsy,
you can get a Half Fare SmartPass for bus and rail travel.
Visit nidirect.gov.uk
Wales: people with disabilies are eligible for free bus
travel throughout Wales.
Contact your local authority for details.
Coach travel
Some coach operators, such as Naonal Express, oer
discount fare schemes for people with disabilies.
Contact companies directly for details.
Access to Work
If you are unable to use public transport because of
your epilepsy, you may be able to get nancial help
towards the cost of your transport to and from work,
through the Access to Work scheme.
Contact your local Jobcentre Plus oce or visit
gov.uk for more informaon.
financial help
Free prescripons
People with epilepsy are entled to free prescripons
for their an-epilepc medicaon, as well as any other
prescribed drugs (but not dental treatment or eye tests).
This is called ‘medical exempon’. To apply for free
prescripons in England, ll in the form FP92A, available
at your doctor’s surgery. It is important to carry your
medical exempon card in case you are asked to show
this when you collect your prescripon. In Scotland,
Wales and Northern Ireland all prescripons are free.
NHS Low Income Scheme (LIS)
If you are on a low income or benets you may be able
to claim back some of your costs of travelling to some
medical appointments, under the ‘Healthcare travel
costs scheme’ (HTCS). The Low Income Scheme may
also cover some dental and eye care costs.
Call the Low Income Scheme helpline on 0300 330
1343 or visit nhs.uk for more informaon.
VAT exempon
Some equipment designed specically to help people
with disabilies does not include VAT. For example,
you may not have to pay VAT on a seizure alarm system.
Call HM Revenue and Customs’ Helpline on 0300 200
3700 or visit hmrc.gov.uk for more informaon.
Discounted public transport
If you have epilepsy and are sll having seizures you
may be entled to free or discounted travel. This is
usually because you would be refused a driving licence
if you applied. You will usually need some proof that
you are eligible for the discount, depending on where
you live and the rules of the discount scheme.
Rail travel
You may be eligible for a disabled persons railcard.
This gives you, and a companion, a third o most fares.
Call 0345 605 0525 or visit
disabledpersons-railcard.co.uk
Some of the praccal and nancial services and support
available to people with epilepsy and people who care for them.
Whether or not you feel that you have a disability, you may be
eligible for support, depending on how your epilepsy aects you.
Call us for a large print version
3
factsheet
benefits
You may be entled to benets, depending on how your
epilepsy aects you. These might include Employment
and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence
Payment (PIP), Universal Credit and Aendance
Allowance.
You will need to meet certain requirements to
be able to apply for these benets. We have more
informaon on the criteria and how to apply for certain
benets, as well as sources of support around benets.
Visit epilepsysociety.org.uk/benets
or contact our helpline.
The following organisaons can also provide
informaon and advice on benets.
Dial groups/Disabled People’s Organisaons: Local
disability support groups, who may oer independent
benets advisors who can help with compleng forms.
Call 0808 800 3333 or visit scope.org.uk
Turn2us: Help with accessing benets, grants and other
nancial help, including a benets calculator.
Call 0808 802 2000 or visit turn2us.org.uk
Cizens Advice Bureau: Informaon on benets.
Visit adviceguide.org.uk or call 03444 111 444
(England) or 03444 77 2020 (Wales).
GOV.UK: Government informaon website.
Visit gov.uk/disability-benets-helpline
help from social services
Depending on what your epilepsy is like, you may
be entled to a ‘health and social care assessment’.
An assessment is normally carried out by an
occupaonal therapist and takes place in your home
and looks at whether you have any physical or health
dicules, social or housing needs, and what support
you already receive, for example from family or friends.
If the assessment idenes that you have needs
which meet the local authority’s criteria, then they
have a duty to arrange relevant community care
services for you. These services may include meals,
home help, adaptaons to the home such as installing
a shower or personal alarm, and access to leisure
acvies. You may need to pay some of the costs.
Contact your local social services department to
ask for an assessment or visit gov.uk
help for families
We have informaon about how epilepsy may aect
children and their educaon, informaon for young
people, and books for parents and children. We also oer
support through our helpline.
Visit epilepsysociety.org.uk/readinglist
The following organisaons also oer support.
Contact a Family oers support for families with
children who have a medical condion or disability.
Call 0808 808 3555 or visit cafamily.org.uk
Family Fund oers grants to low income families or
carers of a child (17 and under) with a severe disability.
Call 01904 550 055 or visit familyfund.org.uk
help for students
Students with epilepsy in higher educaon can apply
for a Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA). A DSA is
designed to help cover the cost of any praccal support
you need as a direct result of your epilepsy. It does not
depend on your income or that of your household.
Unlike student loans, DSAs do not have to be repaid.
Visit gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas for
more informaon.
Disability Rights UK runs a Disabled Students Helpline.
Call 0330 995 0414 (Tuesday and Thursday 11am–1pm)
or visit disabilityrightsuk.org
help for carers
If you are a carer for someone with a disability, and
this is not paid or organised 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 entled to a ‘carer’s assessment’ from
your local social services department. This may idenfy
the need for home help, respite care, emoonal
support or other services. Some carers can claim
Carer’s Allowance.
Visit gov.uk or adviceguide.org.uk
There are organisaons that support carers by giving
informaon, providing respite care, and campaigning
for carers’ rights.
Visit epilepsysociety.org.uk/carers or see our factsheet
carers for more informaon.
©
Epilepsy Society October 2018
Epilepsy Society, Chesham Lane
Chalfont St Peter, Bucks SL9 0RJ
Registered charity number 206186
Every eort is made to ensure that all informaon is correct at the
me of prinng. Please note that informaon is intended for a
UK audience. This informaon is not a substute for
advice from your own doctors. Epilepsy Society is not responsible
for any acons taken as a result of using this informaon.
helpline
01494 601 400
Monday and Tuesday 9am to 4pm
Wednesday 9am to 7.30pm
Condenal (naonal call rate)
