My Nan's got 6 months of chemo ahead of her - does she qualify for any benefits to help her with costs of getting to the hospital?

[chonky]

That's it really...She needs to go to the hozzy every week at £30 a pop for the taxi ride (she can't always guarantee that someone will be able to take her).

Would low rate DLA cover this temporarily? Does she qualify?

Your local Macmillan nurse will be the best person to answer this. Not sure disability living allowance can be done temporarily. We applied for it when DH was diagnosed and were turned down. However, our Macmillan nurse has just told us to apply again as apparently it will pay out if you have limited life expectancy which DH does. I hope that's not the case for your Nan, though.

She should be able to access the hospital transport system. Have a look on the hosital's website and they should have info on there.

Thanks MummyDoIt, I'll ask our local Macmillan nurse. Not sure on the life expectancy, she had a tumour removed from her bowel a month ago, no secondaries found so it's early days.

Really sorry to hear about your DH.

Apparently the hospital transport system can't guarantee to get her there on time unfortunately.

Speak to the CAB or your nan's social worker ASAP about what benefits she may be entitled to.

She may well be able to claim attendance allowance as well as a mobility allowance to put towards transport.

This may not be the case, but when someone has a poor prognosis (life expectancy a few weeks/months), the GP can complete a form called DS1500 which provides emergency funds for the patient.

Most oncology units run volenteer car services to bring people into the hospital. She should ask at the unit, and also contact Macmillan. Dh gets disability living aloowance, but he is terminally ill, so not sure if that would be possible for your nan

The only downside with the volenteer system (and they are smashing people to give up their time this way, is that your Nan may end up spending mote time waiting in the unit....she will need to take a book or some knitting!

I've been told about MacMillan about travel funds too. There are other things available as well. I filled in the DLA form with a CAB advisor. They said that it's really important to get help with filling that form in!

Thanks everyone - it sounds as though contacting Macmillan is a good step - plus asking if there if there is a voluntary service in place.

look into attendance allowance. my gran qualifies for this on the lower rate. it's about £45 a week.

if she is on other qualifying benefits, she can claim back costs of travel from the office. she will have to request a travel form each and everytime she attends clinic, then take it to an office at the hospital (at Guys its across on the other side of the road, at harefield its in the main entrance at the post room, so could be anywhere), where she will get her money back. she needs to take proof of benefit (enhanced pension credit? income support etc?) and also needs to request a reciept everytime from the taxi driver.

if she gets someone to drive her, then she can claim back approx 12p per mile travelled.