Gateway Card and Gateway Card +
The Gateway Card and Gateway Card + are free and give you access to community activities, play schemes and buddy schemes through the short breaks programme
The Gateway Card and Gateway Card+ are free and give you access to community activities, play schemes and buddy schemes through the short breaks programme.
You will need a Gateway Card+ to use any activities funded from our short breaks programme. You will have to show your Gateway Card+ when booking and attending all activities.
More about short break activities
- Who can get a Gateway Card
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The Gateway Card and Gateway Card+ are for children and young people who:
- have a disability and/or additional needs (supporting evidence required)
- need support to take part in leisure activities
- are between 0 and 17 years old
- live in the Hampshire County Council authority area (excludes Portsmouth, Southampton and the Isle of Wight and neighbouring authorities)
To support your application for a Gateway Card, you must provide evidence of eligibility:
- a letter from the family’s General Practitioner (GP), Hospital Consultant, a Diagnostic Assessment Service, Paediatrician or Health Visitor
- a letter from the child’s Teacher or Special Educational Needs Coordinator (SENCo)
- an award letter showing receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA) or Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- the full Education, Health and Care Plan (EHCP)
- a letter from a Social Worker or Professional from Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS), involved with the family
To support your application for a Gateway Card+, you must provide evidence of eligibility:
- a letter from the family’s General Practitioner (GP), Hospital Consultant or a Diagnostic Assessment Service
- an award letter showing receipt of a Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- an award letter showing receipt of Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
- the full Education Health and Care Plan (EHCP) that demonstrates how your child needs support
- a referral from a social worker, proof of yellow card
Visit Evidence of eligibility to see examples of evidence that we can/cannot accept
We will not be able to issue you with a new Gateway Card or Gateway Card + until we have received evidence of eligibility. Evidence can be attached to your online application form or alternatively if you do not have an electronic copy, a paper copy can be sent to the address below.
Please do not send the original documents.
Hampshire County Council
Children's Services Department
Procurement and Commissioning Team
3rd Floor, EII Court North
Winchester
Hampshire
SO23 8UGIf you do not have evidence of eligibility, a template has been produced for the professionals you are in contact with to complete. This can be used if you do not already have a letter confirming your child's needs.
- Benefits for families
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The Gateway Card and Gateway Card+ tell community activities and activity providers that your child has a disability or additional needs and may need extra support.
The Gateway Card can indicate to providers that you have already supplied evidence of eligibility to the Short Breaks Team which in turn means that you may not have to present sensitive documents when accessing an activity or attraction. It may also give you access to concessions, but this will be down to the individual provider.
The Gateway Card+ gives you access to targeted Short Break activities and the Buddy Scheme.
When you register, we will keep your details. This means you won't need to fill out funding forms at each activity your child attends
- Cost of activity
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You will still be required to pay the standard cost for your child to attend the activity. The Gateway Card+ will help activity providers apply for funding to cover any additional costs that are required for your child to participate fully.
- Choosing your Gateway Card
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There are two different options depending on what you want to use your card for. Please choose one when applying for a Gateway Card. You will need to submit the correct evidence for either card.
Gateway Card
If you want a card to evidence that your child or young person has a disability and requires support when visiting attractions or taking part in community activities, you should apply for a Gateway Card.
Gateway Card+
If your child or young person has a disability and needs support to attend a Hampshire County Council funded Short Break Activity (specialist or mainstream), because you need a break from caring, you should apply for a Gateway Card+.
- Apply for a Gateway Card
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All applications must be submitted online as we are no longer able to accept paper based application forms. If you do not have access to a computer, tablet or mobile device, please visit your local library where you can access one free of charge.
- Gateway Card Renewals
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On a yearly basis, your Gateway Card or Gateway Card+ will need renewing. You will receive an email prompting you to reapply. When you go to reapply make sure that you have your child or young person’s gateway card to hand, you will also need your mobile phone.
You can renew your card at any point from receiving the reapply email up to 42 days after the card has expired.
If you have lost your renewal email for your child’s card, you can access the card and the renewal process via your Hampshire County Council customer account. You will need to ensure that you have a customer account and that you have linked your card, if you haven’t yet done this then there is guidance in the Manage a Gateway Card link below. If you are experiencing any issues or would like to speak to the team about the process, please contact the team via email [email protected].
- Manage a Gateway Card
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You can manage your Gateway Card online by registering for a customer account. You will then be able to apply, view and renew your card online.
- Lost or missing cards
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If you have lost or misplaced the email that contains your digital Gateway Card then please contact the Short Breaks Team, who will be able to re-send you the email containing your card.
Please do not reapply for a new card.
Phone 03707 793569
Email [email protected]