Dwellability - Finding a place to stay when you have a disability is now easier!
Home Sharing for People with Disabilities, By People with Disabilities. Dwellability started as an idea between two friends with disabilities over a cup of coffee. Why did it have to be so hard to find a safe, appropriate place to live or visit?
Who We Are
We dreamed about creating a way to connect people across the full spectrum of disability because as a community, we know we are a powerful force, but society simply isn’t meeting our housing needs.
So,we started working on Dwellability as a solution forconnecting people who need a home with those who have space to share. Pretty simple, right? We hope you will join our community and let us know what we can do to make the site do its absolute best foryou!
Our Founders
Dwellability is an online community that connects people withdisabilities who are looking for accommodations, whether it be finding a roommate or a vacationrental.Dwellability caters to all disabilities: Mobility, Deaf, Blind, Cognitive,andEnvironmental, allin the hopes of helping meet housingand accommodation needs.
People with disabilities who have a place to share or are looking for aplace can become Dwellability members and find what they need. In addition, people who have spare rooms to rentcan benefit by renting either short-termor long-term to people withdisabilities.
Please visit www.dwellability.com to search listings, post accommodations, and read our newsletter!
What items are VAT-free for disabled people?
Some items are VAT-free for disabled people. Here we will explain exactly what VAT-free means. Also, everything you need to know about which items this includes and who qualifies. What does VAT-free mean? VAT-free means that the company you are buying a product from will not charge you the value-added tax. No refunds are given on VAT payments. If you are entitled to purchase VAT-free goods, the supplier simply does not charge you the VAT or pay it to the government. Most products in the UK currently carry 20-percent VAT for individuals. For businesses, the rate is higher. Some products have a lower rate. The money gained from VAT goes to the central government. For a product to be sold to an individual without VAT both the product and the person must meet certain criteria. Products that are VAT-free for disabled people. Disabled people pay VAT on most products just like everyone one else. However, a disabled person can purchase without paying VAT, a product that is specifically designed to be used by disabled people. Also, products that are essential for the comfort, safety, or mobility of a disabled person. Here are some products that you can purchase without paying VAT by if you are a disabled individual buying them to use yourself. Wheelchairs, mobility scooters, stairlifts, reclining chairs, hearing, and vision aids. For a more complete list and further information click here. How to purchase products without paying the VAT At the Invictus Active online store, almost all of our products are VAT free if you are a disabled individual wishing to purchase them for your own personal use. That's why all our prices are shown without the VAT included. Just click where it says VAT Exemption? in red. This opens a new page where we explain VAT exemption and gives you a link to the VAT exemption form. You will only need to fill this form in once if you sign up for a free account. The form is simple to fill in and you can do it online. You must enter your full name, date of birth, and address. Then you must declare that "I declare that I am chronically sick or have a disabling condition by reason of:" and then define your disability in the box provided. You will then need to fill in what products you are purchasing from Invictus Active and to declare that they are for your personal use. Fill in the date and type your name to confirm that you are eligible to purchase without VAT. Then click to go on to page two. Fill in the name on your order and your email and send us the form. You must fill in the form before we can deliver your goods VAT-free. A wheelchair trainer is VAT-free for disabled people The Invictus Active Trainer is the perfect example of a product that is VAT-free for disabled people. This product is specifically designed for disabled people and only a disabled person would be interested in having one. Additionally, it was even invented and produced by a disabled person
Which wheelchair is easiest to push
Which wheelchair is easiest to push? These are the three things that determine how easy any wheelchair is to push. First, the type of wheelchair. Secondly, the way the chair is set up. And finally, the tyres. An active user wheelchair will give you much greater pushing power than a basic chair. What is an active user wheelchair? An active user wheelchair is one that a person who can self-propel uses. They are lightweight and manoeuvrable. There are many different makes, models, and styles. You can personalise most of these chairs so that they fit your body perfectly. This is most important in determining which wheelchair is easiest to push. You must take careful measurements of your body so you can order your chair to meet your exact size and shape. Seat and backrest heights and widths can vary, as can the size of the frame and the wheels. A made-to-measure customised active wheelchair will give you far greater pushing power, comfort, and safety than a standard one-size-fits-all chair. Correct chair set up Active user wheelchairs also have adjustments that fine-tune the chair to your needs. You can adjust the angle of the seat or the backrest and change the camber of the wheels. Raising or lowering the chars centre of gravity will make it either more stable and safer or more responsive and manoeuvrable. Making the correct adjustments to suit you is vital in order to get the best performance out of your chair and to make it easier for you to push. Tyres Trials using the Invictus Active trainer, (a roller trainer used to build strength and develop pushing syle) prove that solid tyres make pushing harder. The best type of tyre to choose is the Schwalbe Marathon Plus tyre. These pneumatic tyres offer great grip but with little rolling resistance. That means, that with these tyres correctly inflated you will find pushing your wheelchair easier than with other tyres. Additionally, these tyres feature SmartGuard® protection against punctures so you can travel without worries. They also have hand-friendly smooth sidewalls which are anti-ageing, for durability and safety. These tyres are great for indoor and normal outdoor road use and they will not leave ugly black marks on interior flooring. So, which wheelchair is easiest to push? The answer to the question is a correctly adjusted, custom-built active user wheelchair that has the right tyres. At Invictus Active we offer a selection of some of the finest active user wheelchairs at discounted prices. Additionally, we can show you how to correctly measure your body so that your chair fits you perfectly. Also, we offer advice and guidance to help you to choose the wheelchair that best suits your needs and budget. Plus, we offer free delivery on wheelchairs, and a fourteen-day return and refund policy. We also offer two products that can make your wheelchair even easier to push. The FreeWheel wheelchair attachment, which is a large front wheel that clips easily onto your chair. It raises your caster wheels off the ground to allow you to push with less effort over any kind of surface including cobblestones, grass, gravel, sand or snow. Surge Pushrims that are ergonomically designed to give you more pushing traction.
Latest: Motability offering refund & bonus money
The Government announcements regarding COVID-19 are having a major impact on the Scheme. Most dealership showrooms are now closed meaning they are unable to accept any orders, manage handovers, or car returns. However they want to reassure you that we will support you where possible to help you remain mobile during this time. Two key points that relate to financial help available include: With less traffic on the roads as a result of the lockdown, will I be eligible for a refund from my Scheme insurance? Yes, as lockdown has led to fewer drivers on the road, the Scheme is seeing a lower level of claims, enabling it to share this saving with customers. We have made this decision in consultation with Motability, the Charity. As a result, we are set to send an insurance-based refund of £50 to all customers. There is no need for customers to contact us in connection with this, as we will automatically issue this insurance refund as soon as possible from the second half of May and throughout June. I have a Motability Scheme car; how can I get help if I’m in temporary financial need owing to the COVID-19 situation? Motability Scheme customers who are experiencing temporary and exceptional financial need in relation to COVID-19 are able to access an advance of the £600 Good Condition Bonus (GCB) usually paid at the end of a lease. This GCB payment can be brought forward to provide support during the COVID-19 lockdown, ensuring that customers in need have access to money during a period when they may need it most. Please note that customers who choose to take this payment early would not therefore receive a further GCB at the end of contract – a point when some customers like to put this towards an Advance Payment on their new car. As Motability Scheme lease instalments are made through direct payment from the Government, it is not possible to reschedule payments to be repaid later, so this arrangement offers an alternative route to flexibility for customers. To enable us to deal with requests from customers needing exceptional help as quickly and efficiently as possible, we would ask that customers complete our online form to request a call back from a member of our Customer Services team. Alternatively you can call us on 0300 020 5050, but please bear with us, as we are currently experiencing a high volume of calls and you may have to wait longer than usual. Customers who have already received a GCB for their current car clearly won’t be in a position to take advantage of this arrangement. Similarly, customers who lease a scooter or powered wheelchair will be able to gain access to their £100 End of Contract Bonus in the same way.
NEXT UP!... How are you keeping fit and active during lockdown as a wheelchair user? - wait until you see this wheelchair treadmill here.
Wheelchair Users COVID-19 Essential Tips & Advice.
COVID-19 is a new illness that can affect your lungs and airways, caused by a virus called coronavirus and is effecting the World. There are several measures in place to combat the spread and government advice on what you should and should not do (we of course recommend you follow this which you can find here). BUT what about if you use a wheelchair, should you think about doing anything different or extra? - below is aimed specifically at wheelchair users with some essential tips and things you may wish to consider... 1) Clean your wheelchair pushrims, QR pins and brakes The number one bullet point on the official UK NHS website is "wash your hands with soap and water often – do this for at least 20 seconds" so it is clear that clean hands and hygiene is important. However if you use a wheelchair you will constantly be touching your pushrims and brakes - then if you take your wheels off, such as when in and out of the car, the quick release axel pin. So if you clean your hands but not your wheelchair then you are potentially instantly putting germs and bacteria back on your hands. It's a good idea to use an antibacterial wipe to clean your wheelchair regular.
2) Exercise and keep active from your wheelchair
There is huge concern that as people avoid each other with social distancing and keep themselves isolated that this could have a huge impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. It's also hugely important wheelchair users and those with a disability keep as active as possible, arguably even more so during this period. This is however difficult to do but the following pieces of equipment are being used to combat this issue and help with improving and maintaining fitness.
Top equipment for wheelchair exercise:
Therabands & Dumbbells - simple resistance bands and weights for strength building and maintaining which you can easily use in the home with many different workouts.
Available from: Amazon.
Wheelchair treadmill - best machine for cardio wheelchair exercise and suitable for any manual wheelchair. Also connects to mobile phone app to save and record all data.
Available to try for free in the UK and shipped Worldwide from: Invictus Active.
3) Consider your disability and what impact this has Naturally if you use a wheelchair you usually have a disability of some form, this of course varies a huge amount but it may be even more important to protect yourself and follow the advise because your risk of being seriously ill should you get COVID-19 may increase. The government has released an 'at risk group' which you can find here and we recommend checking if your own disability, or the effects of this, is within this group and if so follow the advice given.
So in short what should I do if I use a wheelchair?...
Be sensible, follow the official advise and if possible avoid unnecessary social interaction. Clean and maintain your wheelchair along with your hands and keep as active as possible.
NOTE: The above information is a help and advice guide only - please always refer to the official government website for latest up-to-date information.
8,000 PIP claimants die within six months of being rejected
[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Close to 8,000 people died within six months of their application for Personal Independence Payment (PIP) being rejected since 2013, newly released figures have shown. Labour MP, Madeleine Moon, obtained the figures from the Department for Work and Pensions, which showed people who had been rejected PIP made up 10% of the nearly 74,000 who died within six months of making a claim. However, the DWP has insisted that there is no evidence implying those who died did so for the same reason they were submitted a PIP claim, according to a national newspaper report. Over PIP 3.6m were made between 2013 and 2018. Of these, 73,800 claimants died within six months of their claim being registered. 7,990 had died after having their claims rejected, representing a small proportion. The figures were provided by pensions minister, Sarah Newton, in a written answer to Parliament. Ms Moon, who is MP for Bridgend, said: “These shameful figures reveal how gravely ill people, eligible for benefits, have tragically fallen through the cracks of a failing system as they approach the end of life. “Questions to the DWP have uncovered many cases where terminally ill people have had their PIP applications rejected when applying under normal rules** and have died within six months. “It is disgusting that people who are dying have not been treated with compassion and support and their claim fast tracked. “When you only have a short time left to live you must not be let down by a callous system which is not fit for purpose.” The DWP said that 56,920 of the 73,800 people who died were credited with a payment. It added that the majority of people who claim PIP do so for non-life-threatening reasons. A spokeswoman told the Mirror: “DWP decision makers take into consideration all the evidence provided and under PIP 31% of people get the highest possible support, compared with 15% under DLA. “We fast-track the claim process for people who have been diagnosed with a terminal illness and we’re stopping unnecessary reassessments for people with the most severe and life-long conditions.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
Disability Pride Event A Huge Success
Last Saturday, July 14th, The Hove Lawns in Brighton welcomed a huge number of people celebrating the town’s second annual Disability Pride event. The event attracted all kinds of people with both visible and invisible disabilities along with their families, friends, carers, and passers-by. Disability Pride events give disabled people the opportunity to celebrate who they are. Last year’s event in Brighton was organised by Jenny Skelton who wanted to raise disability discrimination awareness. She is mum to three adopted disabled children and decided to organise the event after one of her children was asked to leave a local pub due to her impairment. The aim of this year’s event was not only to raise disability awareness by engaging and informing the non-disabled community but also to reduce the isolation that many disabled people feel by including them in a fun-filled day. Jenny states, “I think it is essential that disabled people can have pride in who they are.” Brighton’s Promenade hosted the carnival parade led by the band Unified Rhythm, made up of mostly disabled musicians, and there were talks and speeches by disabled people as well as exhibitions by disabled artists. A great time was had by all. Jenny was really pleased with the enormous support and positive response to this year’s event. Last year it had been hard to get people involved, but this year it was a different story, and Jenny says she would like to see Disability Pride events taking place in all cities across the UK, and around the world. The next event will be taking place in a couple of months in Norwich on September 16th. It starts at 10 am at the Forum on Bethel Street. This is the first event to be held in East Anglia, and there will be talks, activities and a marketplace going on all day. Find out more about it here.
Sign Cory’s Petition For Seat Rights For Disabled People
Cory Shaw is a young person, who suffers from several debilitating conditions which make it very painful for her to stand for any length of time. Yet, she holds down a job and commutes daily by train. However, she frequently finds herself having to travel standing or having to ask people to give her their seat. Although she always carries her ‘please give me a seat’ card and wears her badge, people simply do not look up to see if anyone does need them to give up their seat. Incredibly, even when asked to do so, some people actually refuse. Now, Cory wants her, and all disabled people’s rights to be enforced. She is currently petitioning to get Transport for London to launch a new ‘Look Up’ campaign. The new campaign would have pre-recorded announcements which would be played after each stop. The announcement would say ‘Look up, does someone need your seat?’ Most trains and buses already provide upcoming stop information or ‘watch the gap’ safety announcements. Cory hopes that hearing and announcement will spurn people into action to be more considerate of the needs of fellow passengers. The announcements could be especially helpful for people with visual impairments who need guiding towards a free seat. Also, for people whose impairments are not visibly obvious to others and who rely on people seeing their card. TfL has so far responded by suggesting the implementation of a ‘Look Up Week’. Cory, however, does not consider this to be enough, and that it will not have the lasting effect needed to improve the quality of travel provided for disabled people. The petition has nearly 5,000 supporters and will be used to pressure for a much-needed change in the way able-bodied people treat others on public transport. Click here to sign now and support Cory and all disabled travellers to enforce their rights.
Access to work scheme
The UK Government’s Access to Work scheme ensures that people with a disability or a health condition can receive the assistance they may need to help them to do their job.
If you feel that you could do your job easier if some changes were made in your working hours, conditions, equipment or transport possibilities, this scheme may be able to help you. To be eligible for assistance you must be over 16-years of age, and a paid employee living and working in England, Wales or Scotland. You can be self-employed, an apprentice, doing an internship, or on a work experience or trial, but you must not earn not more than £120 a week, work between one and 16-hours and your work coach must be in agreement.
If you are a paid employee, you can ask your employer to make reasonable adjustments, such as providing equipment or changing working hours to assist you in successfully executing your job. The Access to Work scheme can assist in assessing what adjustments need to be made and what the employer can reasonably be responsible for.
If the employer is unable to make all of the necessary changes, you may be entitled to a non-repayable grant under the Access to work scheme. This grant can be used to make adaptations to existing equipment or to buy suitable new equipment or software. To provide the assistance of a support worker or a job coach, which can include British Sign Language Interpreters, note takers, lip speakers or a video relay service. The grant can also cover adaptations to your vehicle or pay taxi fares to enable you to travel to work. It will cover the expenses incurred in transporting your specialised equipment to a different job location, and it can also fund disability awareness training for co-workers.
Wheelchair To Access St Andrew’s West Sands Beach
Wheelchair To Access St Andrew’s West Sands Beach
St Andrew’s West Sand Beach is an iconic spot with plenty of beautiful sceneries to watch. Just taking a stroll along its shore is sure to leave you with great memories and unmatched experiences. Exploring this magnificent West Sand Beach on a wheelchair is now a reality, thanks to a special pony-pulled vehicle.
Named the iBex, this vehicle lets the wheelchair users roll onto it and stay seated even as it tackles the multiple terrains at the beach. The pony itself is named Obama.
The first trip took place on the 28th of this month. Luckily to those who missed, there’s another trip scheduled for 31st July. On their tour of Scotland, Pony AxeS, a service that runs this great initiative, is scheduled to visit St Andrews on this day again.
Other places that have been lucky to host Pony AxeS them include Portobello, Balmedie, and Broughty Ferry.
Changing Places ToiletsAway from the iBex, there will also be another special facility that will make things even smoother. PAMIS will be fetching to the beach one of its innovative changing places toilets. It’s a special accessible toilet that accommodates those with various disabilities.
PAMIS has been around for 25 years and their support towards people with complex healthcare needs and learning disabilities has been incredibly phenomenal. And all through the years, they have done this using creative and innovative ways.
St Andrew’s Tourism Vice Chair, Debbie McCallum remarked that the decision to bring the special facilities to the town was informed by the need to make the beach accessible to any person who wants to explore it. Before this, there was no access to the beach for wheelchair users.
She also added that they look to making the beach not just accessible but all inclusive over time through working with many other organisations that support such initiatives. (In addition to PAMIS)
Pony AxeSMcCallum lauded Pony AxeS and promised to take the necessary steps towards ensuring that it comes back the next year. More importantly, she mentioned that they will take it upon themselves to ensure such facilities (changing places toilets and beach wheelchairs) are ever present in the town.
Pony AxeS is among the few services that lest PAMIS families have a chance to explore St. Andrews. McCallum agrees that the service is a great opportunity and one of the best things to ever happen to PAMIS families.
Andrew Smart, who works with PAMIS, also stated that the majority of the families the service was working with expressed immense joy at the prospect of exploring the town.
And as one would expect, the event has elicited so much excitement as well as anticipation amongst these families and Andrew only hopes that in addition to that, there will be a long list of such events in the coming days.
If you wish to be part of iBex, please call 07510 736 518 or simply send your email to simon@ponyaxes.com and don’t leave out any important detail.
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Since 2001 I have utilized my creative and performance skills to devise and deliver bespoke training programmes ranging from Equality and Diversity through to Empowerment Through Song under the banner of ‘Permission To Speak’ and more…
