Help with the cost of care and support to live independently
Living with a health condition or providing care for someone can come with extra costs, but you do not have to face them alone.
Find out about grants, financial assistance and practical support for disability related and healthcare costs.
If you are unsure what support you are eligible for, contact your local Citizens Advice for free, confidential and impartial advice.
Care and support assessments
Support if you need care:
A care and support assessment is carried out to see what support you need in your day-to-day life. It will tell you if you're eligible for support from your local council (Suffolk County Council) and can be the first step towards receiving social care.
Request an assessment from Suffolk County Council
If you've had a care and support assessment from Suffolk County Council, they will tell you if you're eligible for a personal budget. This is the money allocated to help meet your care and support needs. They'll then help you set up a care and support plan, which will cover how you are going to use the money to achieve your goals, live independently and meet your needs. This could include extra help at home, help with the cost of respite care, or accessible technology.
Find out more about personal budgets
Support if you care for someone else:
If you are looking after someone, you are entitled to a Carer’s Assessment from Suffolk County Council. You can have one regardless of the hours you spend caring each week, your financial circumstances or whether the person you care for receives any other support.
Help with health costs
You could get help to pay for:
- NHS prescriptions
- NHS dental treatment
- sight tests, glasses and contact lenses
- travel to receive NHS treatment
- NHS wigs and fabric supports
You can find out what help you could get using the NHS eligibility checker. If you're eligible for help, you can find out what to do next and apply through the checker.
Check if you are eligible on the NHS website
If you regularly pay prescription charges or get prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT) medicines, a Prescription Prepayment Certificate could save you money.
If you're referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs under the NHS Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS).
Help with the cost of home adaptations
Disabled facilities grant
If you are (or someone in your household is) disabled - and changes to your home are needed - you may be eligible for a Disabled Facilities Grant. Grants can be awarded to those living in owner-occupied or privately rented properties.
Find out more and apply for a disabled facilities grant
Minor adaptations for homeowners and private tenants
We offer grants for minor adaptations to be made to a home. This can help people who have a long-term health condition deal with the challenges of living at home. We can also help with adaptations if you are coming home from hospital, or have a terminal illness.
Find out more and apply for minor adaptations
Aids and adaptations for council tenants
Our tenants can apply for adaptations that can help you live more safely and independently, from simple aids like grab rails to major adaptations such as stairlifts and wet rooms.