Ability Borders 2022 Newsletter Cost of Living Edition
Your newsletter for disabilities
and long-term conditions across the Scottish Borders
Our purpose is to:
Inform disabled people or those living with a long-term condition about services available throughout the Scottish Borders and to help them have an independent life.
Co-produce a Borders wide organisation involving disabled people themselves, their families and carers.
Influence policy and services that will help them with their quality of life and to help improve information and services
Ability Borders, the go-to organisation for those living with a physical disability or long-term health condition across the Scottish Borders!
This edition of our newsletter is jam-packed with sources of help and information to support us all with the cost of living this Winter. We have put this out in response to the huge rise in people coming to us for support, looking to be signposted to sources of help. The cost-of-living increases hit those living with a disability or long-term health condition particularly hard. We are always here to help.
Ditch the Contract, Come to Ability Borders for Free Sims for Calls, Texts and Data!
UK and Scottish Government Help for Households
To address the worries which people have around the cost of living, the UK and Scottish Governments have set up web pages which gather together all of the support that is available at this time. Help with energy bills, energy saving advice, household costs, childcare costs as well as a range of discounts offered by companies are available. All of this can be found by visiting: https://helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk/
For specific advice on support offered to older and disabled people and their carers, head to: https://costofliving.campaign.gov.scot/older-or-disabled-people where you will find information about things like Adult Disability Payment, Carers Allowance, Carer's Allowance Supplement, the Young Carer Grant and more.
There are others where you can pop along, no referrals needed and Scottish Borders Social Enterprise Chamber CIC at 1 Orchard Park St Boswells TD6 0DA is one such. They receive a food delivery once a week on a Thursday from Eildon Housing, with much of the food going to support Newtown St Boswells community initiatives and the rest being kept for locals so feel free to drop in any weekday.
A separate Foodbank service operates in St Boswells run by volunteers from St Boswells Community Council and they can be accessed by contacting: stboswellsfoodbank@gmail.com or, please, speak in confidence to Eildon Surgery, Reverend Sheila at St Boswells Parish Church, any Community Council member or stop by SBSEC CIC's offices.
Food Train offers support to older people with shopping, delivery of food and befriending in the Scottish Borders. If this service would help you or someone you know, please, call 01387 270800.
Meal Makers, another service offered by Food Train, will connect those over the age of 55+ with a local to you volunteer who will bring round an extra portion of home cooking on a regular basis and also stay for a chat. To find out more, call 0800 7837770.
WaveLength - Fighting Loneliness through Technology
WaveLength gives media technology to those living in loneliness and isolation who otherwise could not afford to purchase devices such a radios, tablets or televisions.
Loneliness affects millions of people across the UK. For people who are lonely, a simple radio or television can feel like a lifeline. WaveLength helps people who have become lonely through lots of different circumstances. Some of these include: the death of a loved one, illness or injury, disability, homelessness, domestic abuse, becoming a refugee or moving away from friends and family.
TV and radio can bring people together like nothing else. Even when there is no-one else around, they can be a friendly voice in an empty room and a window to the world.
Watch the short YouTube video below explaining more about what the organisation does and visit their website to learn more or apply. Or give them a call on 01708 621101. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5II_q4jjsE
https://wavelength.org.uk/
BT Home Essentials - Low Cost Broadband and Phone Plans
British Telecom's Home Essentials Broadband Package is a low cost service available to those who are in receipt of certain qualifying benefits like Universal Credit and Pension Credit, other benefits have eligibility criteria which must be met but it is quick and easy to check if you qualify, this can be done online and you will get an answer straightaway. With no data caps or download limits, you can do as much as you like online. A 12-month contract with no early exit fees is offered and after that initial period another eligibility check will be run and, if you still qualify, you will be kept on the same plan.
Find out more about this service by visiting: https://www.bt.com/broadband/home-essentials
Blue Light Card for Social Care Workers, NHS Staff, Emergency and Armed Services Personnel
The Blue Light Card provides those in the NHS, emergency services, social care sector and armed forces with discounts online and in-store. The organisation works with small and large companies across the UK to get them involved in supporting the Blue Light community through the card. Personalised to each member, the Blue Light Card costs just £4.99 for 2-years access to an amazing range of discounts online and on the high street. https://www.bluelightcard.co.uk/
The Young Carers Package
The Young Carers Package is a special bundle of treats available to all young carers aged 11 to 18 inclusive in Scotland. It's filled with special treats to help them make the most of their free time and to support them in their caring role. And, best of all, it's completely free!
A young carer is anyone aged 11 to 18 who cares, unpaid, for a family member, friend, or member of their community, regularly or on a long-term basis. No matter how big, or small, your caring role is, the Young Carers Package is for you.
The package is part of the Scottish Government's commitment to recognising the contribution made by young carers across Scotland and it includes digital vouchers, access to subscriptions and exclusive opportunities. The treats change regularly so that there is always something new for a young carer to claim or win.
To find out how to sign up, please, visit: https://young.scot/get-informed/national/young-carers-package
Age Scotland Helpline
Age Scotland's dedicated helpline advisors can provide older people with help and support around benefit checks. They have put an impressive 0.5 million pounds into the pockets of older people in Scotland with their recent work. From quick benefits checks to support with pension credit claims, council tax reductions and benefits such as attendance allowance, Age Scotland are there to help.
Call them for free on: 0800 12 44 222
Advice from Home Energy Scotland and British Gas Energy Trust
Home Energy Scotland, in partnership with Changeworks, offer free impartial advice to help make your home warmer and more energy efficient and so pay less for your energy bills. Their freephone telephone helpline is 0808 808 2282.
The Citizens Advice Money Talk Team offer trusted resources and free money advice for anyone living in Scotland. Call them on 0800 028 1456 or head to: https://www.moneytalkteam.org.uk/
The Scottish Welfare Fund
If you are 16 years of age or older and on a low income, or getting certain benefits, you might be able to get extra help from the Scottish Welfare Fund. There are different grants you can apply for depending on your circumstances. You do not need to pay these grants back.
You can apply for a:
Crisis Grant – to help with an unexpected emergency like a fire or flood, losing your money or your job
Community Care Grant– to help you or someone you care for to start to live, or to carry on living, a settled life in the community
Self-Isolation Support Grant - if Test and Protect tell you to self-isolate because of Covid and will lose income as a result
Just a little reminder that disabled people or those living with a chronic illness can often claim VAT relief on some products and services specifically for disabled people. Many companies will already factor in the discount to the products or services that they offer but Dean has pulled together some more detailed information which may be of use to keep to hand. Please, follow the link to the article he has written on this subject and make sure you don't miss out! https://1drv.ms/b/s!AsdNXKMYA4KIgd0xlsZugbPKXBJYxw?e=aPoZfQ
Calling Volunteers! - Community Connectors
Your Community Connectors Needs You!
Ability Borders started its Community Connectors Project to help those wishing to use a care alarm service but who had no-one who could act as their first responders.
We are now seeking volunteers, across all areas of the Scottish Borders, who would be happy to offer their help to someone in their local community who needs a point of contact for their care alarm provider.
We especially need volunteers as we are seeing a rise in
referrals who require 2 responders
We look forward to hearing from you!
Contact Us
We hope you have enjoyed this newsletter
Please get in touch if you would like to subscribe to the newsletter by emailing the address below.
We would also love to hear your thoughts about the newsletter. Perhaps you have some tips you would like to share, information about your own group, an appeal for help in your area or to highlight an example of great service and support you have experienced. Whatever it is, we welcome your constructive input.
Please also contact us if you would like to become a member of Ability Borders.
Ability Borders is a
Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO): SC045843
