Dyskeratosis congenita patients may be able to access government and charity funding to help with travel costs associated with having the condition. You can find more information on this below.
Help with travel costs for NHS treatment and leisure
Depending on your income, you can get essential travel costs paid to and from a place where you receive certain types of NHS treatment. You may be entitled to this financial support if you are:
- Getting Universal Credit, Income Support, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, income-related Employment and Support Allowance or the guarantee credit part of Pension Credit.
- If you are getting Working Tax Credit and/or Child Tax Credit, you may also be entitled to help, depending on your income.
You can read more about help with travel costs on the NHS Choices website here: https://www.nhs.uk/using-the-nhs/help-with-health-costs/healthcare-travel-costs-scheme-htcs/
If you need someone to travel with you for medical reasons, you can get their travel costs paid as well.
You can claim a refund of your travel costs by filling in form HC5 and giving it to the place you go to for NHS treatment. If you can’t afford to pay your travel costs in advance, you can ask for an advance payment. Alternatively, you may be able to get help from your local authority.
Find out more here: https://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcosts/Documents/HC5(T).pdf
If you are not in one of the categories listed above, you might still be able to get help with your travel costs on the grounds of low income. More information on this can be found here: https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-low-income-scheme/hc2-certificates-full-help-health-costs
Grants with Family fund
Family Fund is a children’s charity for disabled children and their families. They provide grants for hospital transport.
You can find out more on their website: https://www.familyfund.org.uk/FAQs/are-the-family-eligible-to-apply
Healthwatch
Healthwatch is an organisation that helps people get the best out of the NHS and other healthcare services. Their website has useful advice and information on funding to help with travel costs: https://www.healthwatch.co.uk/advice-and-information/2019-09-26/do-you-need-help-travelling-nhs-services
Disabled bus passes, taxi cards and parking permits
If you or a relative has dyskeratosis congenita, you may be eligible for a disabled bus pass, taxi card (if you live in Greater London) and parking permit. You can apply for these via the following links:
https://www.gov.uk/apply-for-disabled-bus-pass
https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/taxicard
https://www.gov.uk/apply-blue-badge