How can we help?
Social and cultural activities
The importance of talking about Parkinson’s cannot be over-emphasised and trips organised by the Branch are excellent ways to do this. The Branch subsidises these trips including entry fees, meals, refreshments and transport.
Exercise and Therapy
We will pay 50% of the cost of any third-party exercise classes or therapies you wish to take part in, e.g. tai chi, yoga, swimming, Pilates, dance, chiropractor, physiotherapy.
Please note only suitably qualified or experienced registered professionals should be used. If in doubt check the health care professional council at www.hcpc-uk.org or contact your Parkinson’s Nurse.
IT support
We know that keeping in touch via your pc, mobile or iPad is increasingly important in our lives. We also know how baffling it can be! We will pay 50% of the cost of any IT training from a suitably qualified service provider that you might require, e.g. setting up your iPad or how to make the most of the internet, accessing your emails or making the printer work. See below for how to stay connected.
Temporary respite care
We know how important getting a break every now and then can be for carers. We can help with covering the cost of short breaks of a few hours and we will pay 50% of the monthly cost of respite care or £100 whichever is the lower figure.
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Where respite is needed for a week or more, as advised by the Parkinson’s nurse or health professional the committee will pay 50% of the cost of such respite subject to a maximum of £1200 per year.
Transport costs
We want everyone to be able to come to the various Branch meetings, activities and events, so we will pay for taxis where transport costs are the barrier to attending an activity. We will keep a close eye on costs and if necessary, make payment liable to change at the discretion of the committee.
Reference Section
The Branch
The Branch exists to improve the lives of people affected by Parkinson's in the SKE area. We make plans for the year and have sufficient funds to execute these plans. The committee is building a fundraising plan for 2025. The Branch offers help and subsidies (usually 50% of cost) to get our members involved.
Who can claim?
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Claims for exercise and therapies are largely restricted to those who have Parkinson’s, but consideration would be given to carers in certain circumstances. Please ask.
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Anyone affected by Parkinson’s can benefit from the subsidised social and cultural activities and transport.
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You must be registered on our database and reside in the SKE area to make a claim.
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You should be a member of Parkinson’s UK.
How much can you claim?
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The maximum for exercise and all therapies is £100 per person per calendar year.
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The maximum for IT support is £100 per calendar year.
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There is currently no maximum for transport claims subject to the criteria.
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The maximum for respite care is £100 per month or £1,200 per calendar year.
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Claims for financial assistance will be considered centrally by Parkinson’s UK. The Branch holds a small budget of £1000 for emergencies.
How to claim
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For everything except financial assistance claims, please pay for the item yourself and then submit a claim.
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Please complete a claim form. This can be done on a hard copy or electronically. Please contact the committee if you don’t have a claim form.
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Please support your claim with a copy of the receipt/invoice for the item. A photo or scan will be fine.
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You must provide your bank details on the claim form as payment is by bank transfer.
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Either email or post your claim to Patrick at the address on the claim form.
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For financial assistance claims, please contact the Parkinson’s UK helpline.