Useful links

(Please click on the heading for more information)

 

A:

Age UK:

Age UK – the largest UK charity working with and for older people – enter their site to find an extensive amount of information and guidance related to products and services that assist people with daily living and which ultimately help to improve quality of life

Attendance Allowance:

Attendance allowance is paid to you if you have an illness or disability which means you need help throughout the day and/or night to look after yourself. Information on Hertfordshire related to the criteria for Attendance Allowance and also telephone number to enquire about making a claim

 

B:

Benefits:

Excellent and easy-to-use A-Z guide to benefits, you should find information and/or signposts related to all benefits enquiries that you may have on this site

Benefits (Disability Living Allowance) -

Step-by-step guide related to Disability Living Allowance and how to make a claim (the various levels/rates of DLA that one may qualify for are also featured within this guide)

Benefits (Employment and Support Allowance) -

ESA is a benefit which can be claimed to financially assist individuals who are no longer fit to work or are unable to work (step-by-step guide on how to claim and the varying types of ESA offered)

Benefits (Housing Benefit) -

Housing benefit can pay for all or part of your rent if you are on a low income (step-by-step guide on how to claim and the various entitlements that you may qualify for)

Benefits (Incapacity Benefit) -

Information related to Incapacity Benefit (which is now being replaced by Employment and Support Allowance)

Blue Badge:

How to apply for a Hertfordshire blue disabled parking badge + also details prices and waivers (for eligible people) (street parking concessions for the disabled and older people – need to be registered disabled or require supporting letter from G.P. if older person and not registered disabled)

 

C:

Herts Against Cancer:

A fantastic Hertfordshire-based  charity setup to raise awareness about the early signs of cancer and supporting ways to improve its earlier detection

Care Homes:

Excellent resource to source a care home in your area. Search by entering your postcode then select additional filters to find care homes that are more specialised to the needs of the individual (e.g. dementia care, physical needs, eating disorders etc). Contact details, website address, CQC rating and individual rating system provided for each care home brought up in search

Care Quality Commission:

Care Quality Commission official site (they are the independent regulator of health and social care in England)

CQC Home Care Inspections (Hertfordshire):

The results of all CQC checks on Hertfordshire providers who provide healthcare services in the home (846 results in total – full CQC reports and contact details for each provider given)

Carers Allowance:

What is carers allowance? Would I be entitled to carers allowance? How much is carers allowance? Is there anyone I can speak to in order to find out more about this? If these are some of the questions that you find yourself asking then look at this very informative online leaflet provided by Hertfordshire County Council related to applying for carers allowance if living in Hertfordshire

Cinema Exhibitors’ Association Card:

Pay £6.00 and apply for a yearly pass to 90% of cinemas in the U.K. if you are registered disabled (you would still have to pay cinema ticket price but carer can accompany you for free) – able to use 7 days per week – information on how to apply

Community Meals:

Hertfordshire Community Meals – all the information you will need related to setting up a service of breakfast, lunch or dinner delivered to your door (for those individuals who may not be able to prepare their own meals due to poor mobility or other ailments) – contact details on website

Community Nursing:

Also referred to as District Nurses – a team of community-based nurses who can visit you at home for more complex treatment than healthcare (e.g. medication administration, wound/sore care, catheter care, palliative treatment) – information and contact details for Hertfordshire NHS Community Nursing Team

 

D:

Direct Payments:

Information related to a style of Hertfordshire social care funding by which a nominated person opens a bank account in their name and receive homecare funding which they then use to source a homecare provider of their choice (for clients who lack capacity to manage their own social care funding) – also information related to the different dynamics associated with Direct Payments (to apply for Direct Payments on behalf of someone please refer to Fair Access To Care link)

Disabled Persons’ Railcard:

Information on how to apply for a Disabled Person’s Railcard, eligibility criteria and pricing/benefits of the Railcard (save 1/3 off most rail fares for a year at a cost of £20.00 per year – have to be registered disabled)

 

E:

Enablement Homecare:

Coming out of hospital or recovering at home from injury or fall – you may qualify for up to 4 weeks of free homecare support from Hertfordshire County Council – information on who qualifies for Enablement Homecare and also a link to sourcing a broker who would be able to setup enablement on your behalf (to apply for Enablement homecare please refer to Fair Access To Care link)

 

H:

Hospitals:

Contact details for all private and NHS hospitals located within Hertfordshire and surrounding areas (compiled by Yell.com) (click on the page numbers located on bottom right of page to bring up more results)

 

I:

Hertfordshire Community NHS Bladder and Bowel Care Team (Incontinence):

Hertfordshire Community NHS Bladder and Bowel Care Team – contact them if you need any help and support with incontinence issues (receiving pads, arranging clinical waste collection, dietary advice related to incontinence etc)

 

J:

Jobcentre:

A Google map of all the Jobcentre+ branches located in Hertfordshire and surrounding counties. Click on the red icon closest to you to bring up contact details for that branch (zoom in and zoom out function also applicable to this map)

 

L:

Live-in care:

A signpost to another part of our website which explains what the concept of live-in care is and how live-in carers can assist people at home. Please get in touch if this may be a consideration for you or someone you are affiliated to (family/friend etc)

 

M:

Mobility Equipment:

Link to our sister company (also based in Hertfordshire) who can provide you with a vast range of assisted living aids and mobility equipment (for purchase or hire)

 

N:

Nursing Care:

A list of nursing agencies around Hertfordshire who supply nurses to your home (if your requirements involve regular visits that require more complex care than general healthcare – e.g. medication administration, wound/sore management etc) (list provided by homecare.co.uk)

 

O:

Hertfordshire NHS Community Occupational and Hand Therapy Team:

Link to Hertfordshire NHS Community Occupational and Hand Therapy team (contact details on website)

Opticians:

Google map highlighting all opticians/optical services in Hertfordshire and surrounding counties (click on red icon nearest to you on map to bring up contact details of the optician)

 

P:

Palliative Care:

Care for those individuals who are terminally ill or coming to the end of life. Link to Hertfordshire Community NHS Palliative Care Team

Personal Budgets:

Information related to a style of Hertfordshire social care funding by which funds can be paid directly to an individual requiring homecare from Hertfordshire County Council for them to use on a homecare provider of their choice (for clients have capacity to manage their own social care funding) – also information related to the different dynamics associated with Personal Budgets (to apply for Direct Payments on behalf of someone please refer to Fair Access To Care link)

Physiotherapy:

The ARNI Institute For Stroke Rehabilitation – excellent physiotherapy/stroke rehabilitation programme for survivors of stroke (instructors are located nationwide)

 

R:

Respite Care:

Comprehensive list (provided by carehome.co.uk) of care homes in Hertfordshire who provided respite services – contact details + rating system also provided. Further down the page you will find a glossary of towns/cities within Hertfordshire which operate as filters to further assist you

 

S:

Statutory Sick Pay (SSP):

Excellent reference site setup by Gov.uk which details what Statutory Sick Pay is, how one can be eligible for Statutory Sick Pay and also how to claim if you are ill and unable to work

 

T:

Taxi Vouchers:

A step-by-step guide on how to apply for taxi vouchers with your local authority if you think that you may be eligible to receive them due to disability or age

Telecare:

Information related to the Hertfordshire Telecare Service, which is a 24-hour service provided to ensure that you feel safe and have a point of contact at all times in emergencies if you are a vulnerable adult living at home

Transport:

Hertfordshire Dial-a-Ride provides door to door transport for the elderly, disabled and those people who cannot easily use passenger transport. The scheme is available to residents of Hertfordshire who have a permanent disability, are in receipt of a mobility allowance or those who qualify on age. Dial a Ride fares are comparable with passenger transport. Contact details available on website

 

W:

Waste Disposal:

Dacorum:

Information related to how to organise clinical waste collections (infectious bodily fluids, infected swabs/dressings, syringes/needles) for your home in the Dacorum area (Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Kings Langley) of Hertfordshire. Telephone number and email address provided if you would like to make a referral

Three Rivers:

Information related to how to organise clinical waste collections (infectious bodily fluids, infected swabs/dressings, syringes/needles) for your home in the Three Rivers area (Rickmansworth, Chorleywood, Watford) of Hertfordshire. Telephone number and email address provided if you would like to make a referral

Mid-Herts:

Information related to how to organise clinical waste collections (infectious bodily fluids, infected swabs/dressings, syringes/needles) for your home in the Mid-Herts area (St. Albans, Harpenden, Wheathampstead). Telephone number and email address provided if you would like to make a referral

East Herts:

Information related to how to organise clinical waste collections (infectious bodily fluids, infected swabs/dressings, syringes/needles) for your home in the East Herts area (Ware, Bishops Stortford, Hertford). Telephone number and email address provided if you would like to make a referral

North Herts:

Information related to how to organise clinical waste collections (infectious bodily fluids, infected swabs/dressings, syringes/needles) for your home in the North Herts area (Stevenage, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Broxbourne). Telephone number and email address provided if you would like to make a referral

Hertsmere:

Information related to how to organise clinical waste collections (infectious bodily fluids, infected swabs/dressings, syringes/needles) for your home in the Hertsmere area (Bushey, Potters Bar, Elstree, Borehamwood, Aldenham). Telephone number and email address provided if you would like to make a referral

Walking frames:

Walking frames and wheeled walkers – a Which? buying guide

Wheelchairs:

The Hertfordshire Wheelchair Services referral form to complete if you feel that you may be eligible for funding and provision of a wheelchair by Social Services (return address provided on form)