Transport

Clifton Suspension Bridge (B3124: West of Bristol)
If you receive the higher rate mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance you can get an annual ticket (priced £10.00) from:

The Bridge Master
Clifton Suspension Bridge
Leigh Woods
Bristol
BS8 3PA
Tel: 0117 973 8008 (for Crossing Cards)
0117 973 1579 (administration)
E-mail: bridgemaster@clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk
www.clifton-suspension-bridge.org.uk

Dartford Tunnel and Dartford Bridge (River Thames)
If you are exempt from the payment of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax), you can get an exemption from tolls by registering your vehicle in advance.

Tel: 01322 280200
E-mail: exemptions@lecrossing.co.uk
www.dart-tag.co.uk/nossl/index.php?page=exemptscheme

Forth Road Bridge (Near Edinburgh)
Exemption for Blue Badge holders. You should show your badge at the toll booth to qualify for the exemption.
More information and advice for frequent users can be obtained by contacting the toll authorities at:

Customer Care
Freepost (EH72)
The Forth Estuary Transport Authority
Forth Road Bridge Administrative Offices
South Queensferry
EH30 9SF
Tel: 0131 319 1699
E-mail: customercare@feta.gov.uk
www.feta.gov.uk

Humber Bridge (Near Hull)

Exemption for those who receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance and who are exempt from the payment of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax). Exemption vouchers are issued to the disabled person for use when crossing the bridge in their tax-exempt vehicle. Full details, including an application form are available can be found on the website. An application form can also be obtained in writing from:

The Humber Bridge Board
Ferriby Road
Hessle
East Yorkshire
HU13 0JG
Tel: 01482 647161
E-mail: mail@humberbridge.co.uk
www.humberbridge.co.uk/tollconcessions.php

Itchen Bridge (A3025: Woolston - Southampton)
Concessions available for those in receipt of the higher rate of mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance.

Itchen Bridge
Woolston
Southampton
SO19 9AD
Tel: 023 8043 1040
E-mail: business.support.finance@southampton.gov.uk
www.southampton.gov.uk

M6 Motorway (Birmingham Toll)
The Mobility Exemption Pass is for the sole use on the M6 Toll and Allows free passage of the nominated vehicle only. If you think you may be eligible for a Mobility Exemption Pass, you must apply to Midland Express Limited as no other evidence of disability (e.g. a Blue Badge) can be accepted.
Organisations, recognised by the Secretary of State for Transport, which operate a vehicle for the carriage of disabled people can also use the motorway free of charge by applying in advance for a Mobility Exemption Pass.

Tel: 0870 850 6262
www.m6toll.co.uk

Mersey Tunnel (Liverpool - Birkenhead)
Concessions are available to individuals who are in receipt of the highest rate of Disability Living Allowance, or, if too old, the highest rate of Care Allowance. Full eligibility criteria and conditions of use are available can be found on the website. A 'Fast Tag' which can be shown at toll booths must be obtained in advance from:

Mersey Tunnels
Georges Dock Building
Pier Head
Liverpool
L3 1DD
Tel: 0151 236 8602 (8.30 am - 4.45 pm Monday to Friday)
Fax: 0151 255 0610
E-mail: enquiries@merseytunnels.co.uk
www.merseytunnels.co.uk

Severn Bridge and Second Severn Crossing (M4/M48: North of Bristol)
Exemption for Blue Badge holders. You will need to hand your Blue Badge to the Toll Collector who will record the details and request the signature of the Blue Badge Holder (or the driver on behalf of the holder).

Cofiroute UK Ltd
Toll Administration Building
Bridge Access Road
Aust
South Gloucestershire
BS35 4BE
Tel: 01454 635056
E-mail: customer.service@severnbridge.co.uk
www.severnbridge.co.uk

Tamar Bridge (A38) & Torpoint Ferry (A374)
A smartcard for disabled motorists is available for individuals who:
- receive the higher rate of the mobility component of the Disability Living Allowance;
- receive War Pensioners Mobility Supplement;
- are exempt from the payment of Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax); and
- are registered blind.
Please note that:
An advance application for free vouchers must be made - an application form can be downloaded at www.tamarcrossings.org.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=24853&p=0.
Applications must be accompanied by a fee of £2.00 and passport photograph.
A smartcard will be issued giving 100 free crossings per year after proof of entitlement has been checked.
A stamped addressed envelope must accompany all enquiries.

Torpoint Ferry Office
2 Ferry Street
Torpoint
Cornwall
PL11 2AX
Tel: 01752 812233
E-mail: mobility@torpointferry.org.uk
www.tamarbridge.org.uk

Tay Road Bridge (Newport-on-Tay - Dundee)
Exemption for Blue Badge holders. You should show your badge at the toll booth.

Tyne Tunnel (Near Newcastle)
Exemption for those who are in receipt of the Higher Rate of Mobility Allowance issued by the Benefits Agency or War Pension Agency.

TT2 Ltd.
Tyne Tunnels 2
Administration Building
Wallsend
Tyne and Wear
NE28 0PD
Tel: 0191 262 4451
E-mail: tt2limited@tt2.co.uk
www.tt2.co.uk/exempt-form.php

Whitchurch Bridge (B471: Pangbourne - Whitchurch)
The Company allows free crossings for disabled drivers who are in possession of a valid Vehicle Tax Exemption Certificate for their own vehicle, or who use a vehicle provided under the Motability scheme. To take advantage of this concession, disabled drivers need to pre-register with the Company using the Disabled Driver Registration Form which may be downloaded from the website or obtained on request from the Toll Collectors.

The Whitchurch Bridge Company
The Toll House
Whitchurch Bridge
Pangbourne
Berkshire
RG8 7DF
www.whitchurchbridge.com/rates.html

Whitney on Wye Bridge (B4350: Whitney - Hay-on-Wye)
Blue Badge holders can cross at half price

Taxis

Subsidised Taxis

Your council may offer you a subsidised taxi scheme whereby you only pay a small proportion of the fare on the meter. See if your council has an Accessible Transport Unit, or something similar. Even if they don't offer subsidised taxis, they may have a free bus scheme for disabled people.

Public Utilities

Gas and Electricity

Did you know that your gas and electricity suppliers offer a priority service to the disabled and elderly?

New research by Ofgem (the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets) suggests three out of four eligible customers are not aware of their additional rights. These include "easy read" bills, a password scheme to protect against bogus callers, help with metre readings, a free annual safety check and priority reconnection after any power cuts.

Firms have a duty to tell their customers about the scheme, which is also open to disabled people and the chronically sick.

If you think you could be eligable call your gas and electricity suppliers.

Alternatively you can call Energiwatch on 0845 9060708.

Ofgem is the regulator for Britain's gas and electricity industries. Its role is to promote choice and value for all customers. To visit Ofgem's webpage click here

Water Companies

As with gas & electricity, you can register with your water company for priority service.

If the mains supply is interrupted for any reason they will deliver large containers of water to you rather than expect you to go to a standpipe/bowser like everybody else. Another advantage with all of them (including BT) is that you should be given a phone number to ring which bypasses all those irritating menu options.

WaterSure - financial assistance for metered customers

WaterSure (formerly known as our Vulnerable Customer Scheme) provides financial assistance to metered customers who use large amounts of water for essential purposes.

Am I eligible for the scheme?

To help you to work out if you qualify for the scheme, there is an easy to follow flowchart to help you decide. You may be eligible if you or any member of your household receives any of the following benefits/tax credits:

Income Support
Income based Jobseeker’s allowance
Housing Benefit
Council Tax Benefits
Working Tax Credit
Child Tax Credit (except families in receipt of the family element only)
Pension Credit
And either:

Receive child benefit for three or more children under 19 living at the same address and still in full-time education.

Or:

You or any member of your household have one of the following medical conditions, which causes significant extra water use:

Desquamation (flaky skin disease)
Weeping skin disease (eczema, psoriasis, varicose ulceration)
Incontinence
Abdominal stoma
Crohn’s disease
Ulcerative colitis
Renal failure requiring home dialysis (except where the health authority contributes to the cost of the water used in dialysis)
Other medical conditions can be accepted if the condition uses significant amounts of water and is supported by a signed certificate issued by a Doctor or registered practitioner

You do not qualify for the scheme if:

Your bill is not based on a meter reading
You have a swimming pool with a capacity of over 10,000 litres
You water your garden with a non-handheld appliance, such as a sprinkler or domestic irrigation system.

How do I apply?

If you think you are eligible, the person who pays your water bill should contact your water company.

Pay Less Council Tax

If a disabled person lives in the property, the council tax bill may be reduced by one band. In some areas, this could save hundreds of pounds.

To qualify, a wheelchair must be used indoors, or a room must be used to meet the needs of the disabled person. If you claim, your council could easily send round an inspector to make sure you are a bona fide wheelchair user.

Discount on Trains

Get one third off train journeys with a Disabled Persons Railcard. To apply, you will be asked for documentary evidence such as your Certificate of Entitlement to Disability Living Allowance (DLA 404).

Write to: Disabled Persons Railcard Office, PO Box 1YT, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE99 1YT