What benefits when long term sick (cancer)

[Pibplob]

Does anyone know what could be available please so I can look into them. Someone in their 60’s. Unable to work now so considered unemployed. Thanks if anyone can help.

A ds1500 can only be given if a person is expected to pass away within 6 months. Consultants won’t just hand them out.

OP: I mean this kindly, but you must not project your cancer fears on to your friend’s situation. If treatment either cures or stabilised your cancer, then continuing/resuming work is entirely possible.

I am however rather confused because you say at the top of the thread that she was working. Then later that she’s unemployed. I realise that she may get not have the energy for a dispute right now, but I was wondering if she has been sacked and if so, whether that sacking was legit

Thanks all. She is getting proper help as talking to McMillan about it all but guess she thought she’d be entitled to more than she is. She’s never claimed anything before so I guess her ideas were slightly out. I can’t say too much on here in case she gets googling but it’s unlikely she’ll recover from this although there is a small chance. I guess when she starts chemo which will be at the end of this month she will be entitled to £110 which is a bit better. Hopefully she can get some pip - the mobility bit at £20 anyway. I don’t think she’ll qualify for anymore than that element. So that could be £130 a week. So that would be £520 a month. That should pay the bills I would hope. I will also get her to look into the council tax reduction. Will get her to give them a call. I think she just wanted all of this sorted out before she starts her chemo so she knew it was all sorted. I must admit, I would have thought they’d be more on offer for someone who is signed off as unable to work due to cancer. Quite scary really. Makes you think.

Stick with the Macmillan advisor. I promise you we know what we’re doing 😉💖

I agree with iVampire

It’s so far from a given that she won’t be able to work again. Being signed off at all isn’t a given, though obviously harder to work if she is an impatient a lot. My treatment is up to one day a week as an outpatient so I have it easier I know. But once she has been stabilised then she will probably get a lot from going back to work.

Also agree about the circumstances astound leaving her job. Was she treated fairly? Did she get SSP for a period?

She is talking about getting a job when she’s better but from the appointments with hospital and what they have said I think she is in denial a bit. But we will see. If we had a crystal ball and could see that she’d def be able to go back to work in the future we wouldn’t need to worry about the short term and would be fine. Thanks everyone for your help.

Firstly if she has paid full NI contributions over the past few years then she could look at Contributions based ESA ( called new style ESA in full service Universal credit areas). If she has rent to pay then it would be Universal credit she would need to claim if in a full service Uc area. Depending how her cancer affects her everyday living and mobility then she may get PIP - there are no special rules regarding cancer unless you are terminally ill otherwise the same criteria apply to people with cancer s to everyone else who is ill. if she is on a very low income and struggling with heating bills and travel costs for treatment then she could apply for a macmillan grant although it is a charitable grant and is means tested to some extent although the amounts are quite generous. If she needs advice on pensions ( private) or mortgage then Macmillan have a financial guidance team.

One good things is that if applying for ESA or Uc because she is having chemotherapy she should get the higher rate of ESA after 13 weeks and no need for an assessment for ESA or UC as chemotherapy treatment automatically gets you into the support group or LCWRA group of Universal credit.

Also if she is not in a full service UC area and claims some income related ESA as well as contributions based as she has little savings , if she is then granted PIP at least at standard daily living then she would get a severe disability premium on her ESA which would add another £64( ish ) a week to her esa making it a reasonable amount to live off. However if in a UC full service area there is no such equivalent to this premium which is what all the controversy about Universal credit is about at the moment.