Voluntary sector links

action for prisoners and offenders families
National federation of services supporting families of prisoners. Has a prisoners' families helpline (the website has useful information on benefits).

addiss 

Provides information and resources about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder to anyone who needs assistance - parents, sufferers, teachers or health professionals.

alzheimer's society
Provides support to people affected by dementia (and those who care for them).

association for real change

A membership organisation, which supports providers of services to people with a learning disability to promote real change. Members' services include daytime and leisure activities, support to people in their own homes, residential services, training for employment, special schools and colleges, staff training and information and advice.

british red cross

Provides numerous services, including social care help in the UK.

capability scotland
Supports children, young people and adults with disabilities. Help includes providing community living, day and residential services, employment, respite/short breaks, therapy, education and learning, family support and activities.

disabilities forum
Gives advice, assistance and representation  in matters concerning Housing, Benefits, Employment, Education, Training, Equipment Grants, Travel and Leisure.

disability information scotland
Aims to improve the quality of life for disabled people in Scotland by enabling information providers to offer accurate, up-to-date and relevant disability-related information.

disability wales
The national association of disability groups striving to achieve rights, equality and choice for all disabled people in Wales.

drinkaware
Aims to change UK drinking habits for the better.

dyslexia action
Dyslexia Action is a national charity that takes action to change the lives of people with dyslexia and literacy difficulties.

enrych
Gives disabled people the opportunity to take up any leisure or learning pursuit, either in partnership with a volunteer or by joining a local club or college.

epilepsy society
Its mission is to enhance the quality of life of people affected by epilepsy by promoting public awareness and education, by undertaking research and by delivering specialist medical care and support services.

focus on disability
Has online articles on a wide variety of subjects related to disability - including benefits.

foundation for people with learning disabilities
Promotes the rights, quality of life and opportunities of people with learning disabilities and their families.

gingerbread
The leading national organisation representing lone parents and their children in England and Wales.

guide dogs for the blind association
Its mission is to provide guide dogs, mobility and other rehabilitation services that meet the needs of blind and partially-sighted people.

headway
Headway is a charity set up to give help and support to people affected by brain injury.

henry spink foundation
Help families of children with severe disabilities of all kinds by providing information on conventional and complementary or alternative medicine, therapies and research relating to a very wide range of physical and mental disorders.

hyperactive children's support group 
Helps ADHD/Hyperactive children and their families. Britain's leading proponent of a dietary approach to the problem of hyperactivity.

in control
In Control is a social enterprise whose mission is to help create a new welfare system in which everyone is in control of their lives as full citizens. They have worked with disabled people and local authorities to design a new system for care and support – Self Directed Support which the government wants all local authorities to change their systems to.

inclusion scotland
A consortium of disability-led organisations and individual disabled people that aims to draw attention to the physical, social, economic, cultural and attitudinal barriers that affect the everyday lives of disabled people in Scotland.

limbless association
A national charity which offers support, information and advice to the limb loss community.

macmillan cancer support
Works to improve the quality of life for people living with cancer. 

mencap
Concerned with issues around learning disability.

mental health foundation 
Website on mental health (and mental illness)

mind
Download fact sheets and order other publications on mental health issues. Details of local MIND contacts. Online press releases.

mobility-advisor.com
Provides guidance on wheel chair options, mobility aids, disability resources, and recreational outlets that enhance the lives of individuals of all ages who need mobility assistance.

motor neurone disease (mnd) association
The MND Association is a charity working to help people with MND secure the care and support they need, while promoting research into causes, treatments and a cure.

ms society
The UK's largest charity for people affected by Multiple Sclerosis (MS).

muscular dystrophy uk
The only UK charity focussing on all muscular dystrophies and allied disorders.

national aids trust
NAT is the UK's leading charity dedicated to transforming society's response to HIV. We provide fresh thinking, expertise and practical resources. We champion the rights of people living with HIV and campaign for change.

national autistic society (nas)
The UK's foremost organisation for people with autism and those who care for them.

national federation of the blind
Campaigns for a better standard of service for all blind and partially sighted people.

national rheumatoid arthritis society (nras)
Provides support and information for people with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, their families, friends and carers, and health professionals with an interest in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

papworth trust 
Supports disabled people to be more independent at home or at work.

parkinson's disease society  Provide support, advice and information to people with Parkinson's, their carers, families and friends, and to health and social services professionals involved in management and care.

people first
People First is an organisation run by and for people with learning difficulties to raise awareness of and campaign for the rights of people with learning difficulties and to support self advocacy groups across the country.

remploy 
The UK's leading supplier of employment opportunities for disabled people. Remploy's mission is to achieve equality in employment for disabled people.

rethink mental illness 

Works to help everyone affected by severe mental illness recover a better quality of life.

rowan organisation
Provides disabled people with access to information, services and resources in order to increase their opportunity for independence.  Some online factsheets, including several on Community Care Direct Payments.

royal association for deaf people
Gives information about sign language training, deaf clubs. Also has a number of factsheets.

royal british legion
The UK's leading charity providing financial, social and emotional support to millions who have served and are currently serving in the Armed Forces, and their dependants. For Scotland go to royal british legion scotland.

royal national institute of the blind
Comprehensive site - Gives guidance on presenting information for blind and partially sighted people on the Web.

royal national institute for the deaf
Clear, regularly updated site. Large number of fact sheets available to download. 

scope
Disability organisation in England and Wales whose focus is people with cerebral palsy.

soldiers, sailors, airmen and families association
National charity helping serving and ex-Service men, women and their families in need.

spinal injuries association
Covers a range of information for people with spinal injuries. Has online factsheets.

turn2us
Turn2us exists to help people access the funds they need that are available to them – through benefits, grants and other financial help.

united response
Supports people with learning disabilities or mental health needs across England to live in the community. Help includes supporting people in their own homes as well as working with people to access training and work opportunities.

values into action scotland (vias)
VIAS promotes the rights and equality of people with learning difficulties.

Versus Arthritis
Online information about arthritis. Provides details of local contacts, publications ordering and holiday information.

winvisible
WinVisible brings together asylum-seeking, refugee and UK-born women, with visible as well as invisible disabilities. They provide self-help information and advocacy, including on homecare and access to services (against rationing and disability discrimination in care assessments, against homecare charges), welfare benefits, employment, transport, and against violence, sexism, racism and other discrimination. 

youreable.com
Provides information for disabled people on benefits, motoring, travel, work, money, health, computing, equipment and available shopping discounts. Also has good discussion forums.