Confused by all the benefits changes? – help is at hand

Contact a Family has issued an urgent call for families with disabled children to get advice about forthcoming benefits changes.

To help parents make sense of the recent welfare reforms announced by the Coalition Government and what the changes will mean for them, Contact a Family has produced a free guide to Future Benefit Changes. The guide is available from the Contact a Family Helpline on 0808 808 3555 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Derek Sinclair, Senior Welfare Rights Specialist at Contact a Family, said: "The recently announced benefits changes amount to the biggest shake up to the benefits system in generations. Changes include replacing means tested benefits such as income support with a new 'universal credit', major reform of Disability Living Allowance and cuts in housing benefit. It is really important that parents with disabled children understand what these changes will mean."

The changes will impact on all families with a disabled child. While some of the changes will not take affect for a year or two, others will start to impact from this April. From April children aged 3 or above who have a severe visual impairment will qualify for the high rate of the DLA mobility component.