Freebies and Perks

[Sandiney]

Wow! That is lucky to have free study at the university!

 

[Droopy]

Wow! That is lucky to have free study at the university!

I'm currently studying at the University for free. Keep in mind though, that it is not a traditional university that you physically attend. You work from home/online in your own time frame and can attend tutorials at the University buildings in person if needed. The downside is that you miss out on the "fun" of Uni life. Still, it's free and you can get qualifications.

 

[CaramelCookie]

UK: There's Carer's Allowance if you have a carer, you can also get a carers assessment for extra help and you can get a carers card which has many benefits. There's also Employment and Support Allowance if you can't work.

 

[Mr. Jones]

In Canada?

Access 2 Entertainment | De Carte Accs au divertissement pour 2

It allows the card holder access to any movie at any major theatre/cinema (we don't use the word 'cinema' here but Europeans do) for free with no restrictions except one: Somebody has to accompany the cardholder and the accompanying person will receive a discount or will also be allowed in free (forget how that works). Additionally this applies to participating attractions in Canada including the Ontario Science Centre, the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto Zoo (?), Vancouver Aquarium (?), CN Tower, etc. with the same rules and restrictions.

The purpose is to encourage individuals with disabilities to be more active socially.

I have a card myself .

 

[Droopy]

I have a card myself .

Thanks for contributing that to the thread.

 

[Douglas_MacNeill]

Indeed. I only found out about the free bus/train pass yesterday. Think of all the money I could have saved if I had known earlier.

Does Canada not have any freebies or perks?

That depends on the province, or even on the city. In Alberta, Assured Income for the Severely Handicapped offers a maximum of $1,188.00/month (all dollar figures in Canadian dollars).
In addition, you're allowed to earn up to $400.00/month from all sources before the Government starts clawing back. Now, as for my remark about the city: The cities of Edmonton and
Calgary, but no others (i.e. not Red Deer, not Grande Prairie, not Lethbridge, not Medicine Hat), offer reduced-price adult transit passes ($34.00/month for Edmonton Transit, and it can
be paid by automatic withdrawal from your bank account.)

 

[2wheels4ever]

California gives reduced bus/train fares with Medicare card. I have one but I stopped riding the bus. Also can be eligible for SSDI which can bump up the check another $200 if played right. At 1 time I was getting close to 800/month, 3 years ago the state kept cutting their payment to the point they actually spent $0.42 plus envelope, paper and ink to tell me they were to pay $0. At that stage I parked myself in front of the window at SS and eventually got redirected to County where they signed me up for food stamps in the process of keeping my 'Medi-Medi' going. I now get $650 from SSA and 200 on EBT every month, plus free generic Adderall & antibiotics. In return I get to go through all the periodic questionnaires and sweat out the occasional consultation exam. So I come out 50 ahead from where I was 10 years ago, even still I have found it necessary to be resourceful. Thank my higher power that there is somewhat of a demand for one of my obsessions, sporadic as that demand be.

 

[Douglas_MacNeill]

With regard to my earlier post: The figures I gave were correct at the time I wrote this, but since then the provincial government is offering a little more help.
The new figures are CAD 1,588.00 maximum benefit per month, with an allowance of up to CAD 800.00 per month outside income before claw-backs. (CAD=CAnadian Dollars)

 

[westrain]

In Ireland
You can get disability allowance
To qualify for Disability Allowance (DA) you must:

Have an injury, disease or physical or mental disability that has continued or may be expected to continue for at least one year
As a result of this disability be substantially restricted in undertaking work that would otherwise be suitable for a person of your age, experience and qualifications
Be aged between 16 and 66. When you reach 66 years of age you no longer qualify for DA, but you are assessed for a State pension.

Three are free travel, free electricity and telephone allowance and a free tv licence

 

[King_Oni]

Not neccesarily freebies and perks that are exclusively autism related, but at least a small guideline where to go when you live in The Netherlands if you're on the spectrum need social or financial support;

Social work/support in The Netherlands

For short term support (filling in disability benefits papers for example) you can contact MEE by either visiting them or contacting them by phone/email. MEE

For additional guidance regarding autism in The Netherlands and getting information where to go, you can visit or contact AIC (Autisme Informatie Centrum) AIC

Financial support in The Netherlands

For financial aid to ?purchase? services in terms of additional care ( for instance; support for personal care, activities, psychosocial help) you can file for PGB (Persoongebonden budget) at CIZ. They will assess your situation and either grant or deny it. CIZ
Also; for additional information about PGB, check here
To avert disappointment, be aware that they will pretty much deny it if you have not tried therapy of sorts before you ask for financial services. That?s one of their criteria to grant it.

If you?re unable to work on a regular/steady basis you can file for WAJONG at UWV if you?re 18+ UWV
An informal requirement will be that you have an official diagnosis of sorts by a psychologist. Also; As of 2012, there are a few things you should keep in mind; when filing at an older age, they will see if you have any job experience. If, at some point in time you were able to earn 75% of the minimumwage over the course of 6 consecutive months or more, big chance you will be denied. That?s the law and has nothing to do with the circumstances how you held that job. They break down the numbers on employment insurance (werknemersverzekeringen) and as such they assess your situation, since they have documentation of all insurance fees you paid over salary (because they also collect the insurance fees).

If, by any means you will be denied WAJONG, make sure you have documentation about your issues in regards to employment. You can file for unemployment benefits (bijstand) instead. Those should be filed at your local social services (Sociale dienst). Having documentation by either your therapist and/or an "employment" specialist will help greatly for them to assess if you can even work and not end up in stressful situations where someone on the spectrum is "pressured" to just taking any job and be subjected to meltdowns and the like. They will be of your back a bit more in terms of requirements and cooperation because of your situation.

Furthermore, if you feel that WAJONG does not suffice to support you, because, for instance you live on your own, you can file for additional bijstand, but also this should be checked at social services.

 

[Nolan1971]

A few good things here in Gainesville, FL : Free bus pass good for 2yrs if you qualify (poor vision,other) Center for independent living
Free health care Charity Care at Shands hospital if you qualify income wise. I get 100% coverage

 

[Divrom]

Thanks for posting the UK info, Droopy.

I doubt I'd qualify for DLA, but all of the other freebies seem to depend on getting that. Is that right?

 

[kasmanaft08]

I was surprised to know there are actual charity shops and organisations in the UK, specifically for those with aspergers. They will have more specific information, and arrange things like social meet-ups. It could be region-specific, but I doubt my area is the only one that has an organization like this one. This is the link to the one near me: Asperger East Anglia Home Page

 

[anne.bc]

I had my entire tuition covered by a state program for disabled students. This also included any textbooks I needed or degree-related expenses. Even parking! They pay as long as you take, and will cover your tuition up until you have a masters degree.
Only downside so far is that you can't have a job to apply for it. My fiance is hardly making anything with his job right now and we plan to wed in October. I know that's risky but we've been engaged for 3 years and it will be 4 by the time we actually have our wedding. We're tired of waiting. haha

At least I'm finally graduating this semester. I don't go to a California State University, I go to freaking Hogwarts because it's taking me 7 years to graduate! :laugh:

 

[Yoshi08]

In the United States you can get:
Financial:
SSI (Supplemental Security Income) which is $674.00 per Month
Snap (Food Assistance) which is $200 per Month

Medical/Dental:
Any person who is disabled by Federal standards is eligible for Medicaid which is administered by each state and covers medical and dental costs plus if you have a developmental disability you can also receive some "level" of related treatment like a consultation with a Neuropsychologist etc.

Transportation:
Oregon - In Oregon you can get a free bus pass through your local Developmental Disabilities Office and if you have medical appointments then generally the state will cover a taxi trip (medical transportation brokerage) for all such medical or dental appointments.

Phone Service:
The Federal Goverment provides funding to each state to provide subsidized telephone service to low income and disabled persons I think the program is called Lifeline in most states.

Fishing License:
In Oregon specifically you can also receive a free annual fishing license

i live in california and get $930.00 a month, after they take out $100 for medi-cal benefits.

 

[grapesicles]

Thought I'd add some vital info for UK/England-based university/college students, prospective students or parents of students (this applies to those with AS as well as other forms of autism and disabilities):

- See if you're eligible for DSA (Disabled Student Allowance): https://www.gov.uk/disabled-students-allowances-dsas/overview

- Or an NHS DSA bursary: Students Student Bursaries NHS Business Services Authority

Providing you have evidence of diagnosis from your GP, doctor or consultant, there are numerous grants and freebies you're entitled to (some may depend on your university or course) such as:

- Free Macbook Pro or laptop
- Non-repayable grant(s) for study and/or living expenses when you apply via Student Finance England
- Extra time in exams
- Extra contact time with tutors
- Additional teaching materials provided (eg. emailed slideshows of lectures, lectures on video, etc)
- Extra counselling sessions

Here are some extra links in addition to the ones above which may be helpful:

College and university: supporting students with Asperger syndrome - | autism | Asperger syndrome |

Education: meeting the needs of students in FE and HE - | autism | Asperger syndrome |


I wish I'd had an earlier diagnosis so I could've taken advantage of these brilliant things & got extra help I needed! If anyone's in the same position as me, you can always apply if you ever choose to return to education to make your experience that much better. Hope this helps someone, or forward the links to anyone you think might need them!

 

[Jimbo]

In the US are your benefits based on your income? I make well above the national average income in my carpet cleaning business and was just wondering if they take income into consideration. Even though I make a good income I have to support 3 people off of it and by the time I pay our taxes and insurance and basic living expenses we don't really have extra money at the end of the month.

 

[Yoshi08]

my disability got raised to 1050 a month.
i dont get any perks for my aspergers or disability.

 

[paloftoon]

It's generally hard to get funding for a disability. Usually, you have to be pretty extreme from what I can see for that kind of funding.

Also, if in the US, you can use Google phone for free if calling out, or at least for now. Your computer might have an internal mic and you might not realize- try to play around with the settings.

 

[Evy the Owl]

The Netherlands:

Here is a whole page of what themeparks accept the 'autipas' or a medical certificate, and what perks you get.

Welke dagjes uit zijn Autisme proof? – Uitmetkorting.nl Bespaarwijzer!