Could I get any help?

[Lolaismyfavouriteandmybest]

I'm registered blind. I have enough sight to get by (read print, negotiate familiar places etc) some of the time and before I became a mum I managed ok.

Since I had dd (ASD and partially sighted) I have no life. I work full time, I get home and start the routines, these are getting easier now dd is getting older but it's still the same treadmill every night. She's usual settled by 8pm. But I can't do anything in the evenings. I have a DH but even if he's in I can't go anywhere without his help and one of us has to stay with dd. I don't have many friends and nobody who could drive and understands that being trapped in my house all the time I'm not at work is making me very down. I desperately need to excercise but can't get anywhere to do a class or swim.

I get high rate mobility DLA and I do spend a lot of that on taxis when I have to get around by myself but money is tight as DH not working full time so it seems frivolous to spend £30 if I want to go swimming. (and I would probably need someone with me)

Is there any other help out there? And if so how could I access it?

Have you tried for the carers allowance? You should be able to get DLA for your daughter as well. It may be worth your while going to see the CAB and asking them to do a benefit check for you.

I work full time and dh is a student therefore both ineligible for carers allowance. Fair enough that I work so i'm not putting the lions share of carer hours but dh has no income and is caring for 2 disabled people but cannot claim as he is trying to better himself whilst getting an education

Apart from tax credits I think we get what we should get.

I can find lots of schemes asking people to volunteer to spend time helping a disabled person but no idea how to access the schemes as a user.

The CAB is a good place to go. Your DH should be getting some financial support from his uni, he needs to go and see student services. I'm fairly sure there's an additional allowance via the LEA.

I'm disabled (MS), I've just moved house. I didn't know where to go for help moving, or if there is such a thing, and am really knackered now. It's not easy.

Dh is in further ed not higher ed (hopefully uni next year tho). We've researched and nope, no extra money. But money is a moot point in a way, I need a companion rather than a taxi driver

Moving house is a nightmare! I completely sympathise. We coped with lots of help from friends when we've moved. The problem is that my friends now have young kids and no capacity to help us. (and we've foolishly moved a long way away from many of our good friends)

You really should go to the CAB, if carers allowance isn't available (it may be a case of filling in the forms again, I know from experience that the DLA form needs to be completed in a certain way, or they will just refuse it) they may know of a charity which can help. I think the Salvation Army may offer support, you'd need to check though.

It wasn't easy, I had to pack and move over 2 weeks. I now have the task of unpacking. Oh, joy!

Is there a swimming group for the disabled based at your local pool ? If so, then ring the organiser, and I'm sure they have volunteers who will work with you.

My town also has a volunteer centre - you just ring them and tell them what you need, and they look for people to do it.