What's available for disabled people?

Travel and Transport

• Free bus travel throughout Herefordshire at any time of day (and "at off-peak times" in the rest of England)
• Free bus travel for a companion if you cannot travel alone on the bus
• Low floor buses on many routes throughout the county
• Web based information on bus routes and timetables
• Dedicated disabled car parking spaces throughout the county, many oversized
• 3 hours free parking for Blue Badge holders in Council car parks (Herefordshire is one of very few authorities in the UK to offer this)
• Assessment for Blue Badge entitlement in your own home (or Info in Herefordshire office) from the Welfare Rights Team
• Approximately 30% of Council licensed taxis are wheelchair accessible
• Hereford Shopmobility - a free wheelchair/powered scooter loan scheme for people with mobility difficulties
• Provision of disabled parking spaces in residential streets where circumstances allow (this is subject to conditions, and the marked bay is not dedicated to any particular individual) - call 01432 261800 or email streets@herefordshire.gov.uk
• Free travel training for people with mobility impairments, learning disabilities, and older people

Property and Planning

• Free planning applications to alter an existing dwelling to improve the welfare of a disabled person
• Free planning applications to provide access for disabled people to or within a public building
• Free access audits for village halls
• Free advice to property owners and churches on compliance with DDA

Employment

• Guaranteed job interview for disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job
• One-to-one guidance sessions on completing application forms
• Mock interviews offered to those who wish to improve interview techniques
• Work placements for any disabled jobseekers, including students from RNCB and Remploy clients
• Easy-read, Braille and unformatted application forms available
• All vacancies are advertised weekly on Disabled Workers Cooperative website
• For those who are unable to access the internet, lists of all vacancies are available at Jobcentre Plus offices, libraries and information points and can be sent by post to applicants on request
• The Occupational Health Team offers advice on "reasonable adjustments" to the workplace
• All recruiting managers must attend mandatory Recruitment and Selection training before recruiting to a post, which includes a section on diversity and the Two Ticks symbol

Leisure

• Concessionary prices at all Halo and other Council owned leisure facilities
• Electric Mobility Vehicles are available to hire at Queenswood Country Park (suggested minimum donation £5, to be used only on specified routes within the park)
• Public Rights of Way are developing easy access routes around the county
• Adoption of least restrictive option in a number of Rights of Way policies
• Free access for carers to all Herefordshire Council Arts events (when accompanying a disabled person)

Accessible Information

• All council literature is available on request in alternative formats such as large print, Braille, easy-read, audio and other languages
• The Council website has earned the Plain English Internet Crystal Mark for providing clear information (December 2005)
• The Council website has been designed to meet the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) A-level standard
• The Council website is speech-enabled through Browsealoud software

Libraries and Museums

• Hearing loops at all libraries and museums
• Accessible mobile libraries with handrails, hearing loops, better lighting, heating and ventilation
• Dolphin Supernova software in 5 libraries, including Hereford
• Library membership forms in large print, Braille, on cassette and CD
• Free talking books, DVDs, CDs and videos for blind and partially sighted customers, and no charges for overdue items
• An Access ticket with free loans - no charges for customers who are not partially sighted but cannot access our core book stock
• A ScannaR machine and SmartView magnifier available in Hereford Library and Hereford Art Gallery and Museum
• Libraries at Ross, Leominster and Hereford have a "myReader", a device to capture, scan and enlarge entire pages of script
• All museum and art gallery exhibits are accompanied by tactile images, audio guides and Braille
• The Old House has extensive resources for blind and partially sighted visitors, and offers a virtual tour of its upper floors for those who can't climb the stairs

Housing and Help at Home

• Disabled Facilities Grant to enable people to adapt their home (means tested)
• "You@Home" home improvement service to help householders access small grants or the services of a Handyman Scheme to assist independent living (means tested)
• Shared home ownership schemes for people with learning disabilities and people with mental health conditions
• Your Council Tax may be reduced if your home has certain features which are essential to the well being of a disabled person living there
• The Waste and Recycling collection service provides assisted collections
• For advice on Herefordshire's housing waiting list please visit Home Point
• The Council has published a Care Directory to enable people find support, suppliers and equipment which will help them to live independently

Community Resources

• The Council has contributed financially to ABLE's resource book for disabled people, to Hereford Access for All's directory of doctors, dentists, opticians etc. in Hereford City, and to the Restaurant Guide 2008
• A programme of upgrades for public toilets, with many accessible toilets being fitted with RADAR locks

Benefits

• Herefordshire Council Welfare and Financial Assessment Team and local Pension Service will provide advice on benefit entitlements and assist with claims. Call them on 01432 363756 or welfarerights@herefordshire.gov.uk
• Council staff will visit people's homes and help to fill in forms if they need help or cannot get to the Benefits office
• The Benefits team can refer people to other local agencies (such as the Fire Service, Police, Health services) through the Local Public Service Agreement (LPSA)

Schools

• All schools have an Accessibility Plan which aims to improve access to the environment, curriculum and written information
• All schools have a Disability Equality Scheme (DES) which is designed to address inequalities arising from disability and promote equal opportunities and participation of young disabled people

Electoral Registration (voting)

• Claim and postal vote applications can be supplied in Braille, large print or a different language.
• Electoral Registration can send information by email to any voter upon request, for example a sample of the ballot paper, so it can be read by specialist software.  Electoral Registration would need to know in advance of any voters who would like information emailed. You can find out more by visiting the Democracy and Elections section
• A blind selector device is available at all polling stations
• A magnifying glass is available at all polling stations
• Access to election staff to help complete forms for registering and postal votes
• Most polling stations are fully accessible 
• Presiding Officers and Poll Clerks are trained on accompanying voters who request help
• A sample of the ballot paper in large print is available at the polling station
• Booklets in Plain English about the voting process are available from Electoral Registration
• Picture cards of the voting process are available