Terminal Illness and Benefits

Annisele

If he still has an endowment policy, its worth checking with the insurance company whether it has a terminal illness benefit.

Essentially terminal illness benefit is a way to get the death benefit early (it's not at all the same as critical illness benefit). Exact terms differ between insurance companies, but if he does have terminal illness benefit on his policy, the policy has more than two years to run, and his life expectancy is less than one year, it might pay out. That would at least mean he could get his mortgage paid off.

Oldernotwiser

Person_one wrote: »

Of course they do, but cancer takes a lot and if thats what it is Macmillan are a good call. That poster was trying to be helpful, what were you trying to do?

I was correcting the common assumption that any terminal disease has to be cancer. In this case the assumption was correct, but it isn't always.

joyciebird

sunnyone wrote: »

For the fast track you cant normally use the high rate mobility allowance for a car because you need at least a year high rate mobility allowance to lease a car and to fast track you have an expected lifespan of less than a year.

It happend to my best mates sister last year and she had to just take the cash and use it to help her in her last months (5).

When DLA care is awarded under the Special Rules criteria it is given for a 3 year period, an award of high rate mobility is not guaranteed but if awarded again under the SR criteria this is also given for 3 years.

sunnyone

joyciebird wrote: »

When DLA care is awarded under the Special Rules criteria it is given for a 3 year period, an award of high rate mobility is not guaranteed but if awarded again under the SR criteria this is also given for 3 years.

Not last year when it was paid weekly to my friends sister and not when it was awarded to a family member, unless its changed.

welshmoneylover

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Thank you. This site is really helpful.

For info, it is lung cancer and I wil enquire about McMillan.

So sorry to hear this, I think the MacMillan nurses are your best bet, they are highly trained in this sort of thing.

God bless him x (and his wife too)

emmell

I have unfortunately been in the situation of having my dad die with lung cancer and my best friend. My dad had never been on any kind of benefit until his retirement pension but it was the macmillan cancer nurse who dealt with it all for him, until she visited we had no idea my dad was entitled to anything. His doctor (who was marvellous by the way) filled the form in and I took it in to the local DSS office where they told me that someone (who wasn't working) in the family could claim carers allowance (I think that's what it was called), but neither me or my sisters wanted money to look after our dad. I think the amount he got was £60 some pounds? a week, he didn't need it and couldn't go anywhere to spend it but it came in handy for my mum.
When my friend was diagnosed her doctors were useless compared to ours, she got no help at all, if it hadn't been for me telling her about the macmillan nurses she would have never have known about the benefit.
I hope they have doctors as good as ours were. Once my dad found it difficult getting around we didn't have to take him to the doc's anymore, they visited him about 2 or 3 times a week and would come out at other times if we were worried about him. They then provided palliative carers 3 times a day 7 days a week, the carers were marvellous. I only mention all this because there is help out there, not just monetary, but my friend got none of this and she lived alone. She seemed to get no help at all, maybe because she was only 54 they thought she would cope better.
They will be able to loan things as well as their mobility gets worse, they brought my dad a electric hospital air bed, a hoist, a glider chair and a special cushion to sit on to make him more comfortable.
I hope I haven't bombarded you with information but I know how hard it is when you don't know where to start. Your friends have all my best wishes.
ML.

ellie101

As others say, you can get fast track DLA, my mother had it.

Also, if you speak to MacMillan.. sometimes they can give you one-off grants for other things, if you don't have a car you can sometimes get money for taxi fares, or fridges (if you are missing things like this).

Things such as taxi fares can end up costing thousands, yes there is transport but if you've just had chemo it can mean hours on hospital vans while being ill.. and from my experience the person that goes with you won't be able to travel with you.

My mother was given 6 mths to live on the fast track but was still doing really well 18mths later, but we didn't have much money really towards the end as heating bills, transport was expensive... think it's always worth asking. We found things out afterwards.

And social security I think it was helped out with the house... they came round and can look at your bathroom etc.. see if you need extra rails and things.

Good luck.

Hoof_Hearted

Thank you to all who have replied. You have all been brilliant. With the information you have given me, I will hopefully be able to help the family to sort things out.

It is clear that we should involve Macmillan and claim DLA and Carer's Allowance for a start. It was also a good tip about the endowment policy. I will look into this as well.

haycorns

My dad is in this position. The Macmillain nurse did the application form for my mum and dad and they are getting £70 per week Attendance allowance ( which is not means tested) . They are both retired.

qwertyuiop12345

Hoof_Hearted wrote: »

Looking for some advice for a friend who is terminally ill. He has worked all his life and never drawn any benefits, so I want to make sure he gets what he deserves. He probably has a year to live.

I'm sorry to hear about your friend and hope you manage to sort out all the support he deserves.

Unfortunately the special fast track rules for DLA etc. only apply to people who are expected to die in the next six months (this seems to be the DWP definition of terminally ill).