What should I do?

vivmagb

My husband starts chemo and radiotherapy this week as he has rectal cancer. It will be followed by surgery. I will be his sole carer. He is 69 and I am 67. Is there any benefit that I can claim and who do I apply to and at what stage do I claim? I hate having to do this but paying for cabs etc we are feeling the strain on our finances, I would appreciate advice.

Anubis_2

I am sorry to hear about your husband, As you are over 65, I would suggest you apply for Attendance Allowance as soon as you can - you don't need to wait.

Contact the McMillan cancer support for help and advise filling in the form http://m.macmillan.org.uk/home

You may also be entitled to other benefits and they will be able to advise on this for you.

raven83

vivmagb wrote: »

My husband starts chemo and radiotherapy this week as he has rectal cancer. It will be followed by surgery. I will be his sole carer. He is 69 and I am 67. Is there any benefit that I can claim and who do I apply to and at what stage do I claim? I hate having to do this but paying for cabs etc we are feeling the strain on our finances, I would appreciate advice.

Sorry to hear about your husband.


You can claim DLA (or is it attendance allowence after a certain age?) for hubby and carers allowance for yourself AFAIK. Hopefully someone will be along to advise better soon. I would go to CAB who can fill these forms out for you as they are rather long and daunting.

Also Macmillian nurses deal alot with this so i would contact them and get them to send you the forms.

Torry_Quine

If he has had care needs for the past three months and expected to have them for the next six then he can apply for AA. Unless of course he is able to claim under the special rules.

You may have an underlying entitlement to carer's allowance abut as you will be receiving state pension this is unlikely to change the amount paid.

You may well also be entitled to pension credit.

[Deleted User]

CA and state pension are overlapping benefits

sleepless_saver

It sounds like a full benefits check would be a good idea. CAB should be able to help you with this, or possibly Macmillan, and also help with the application for attendance allowance.

In some circumstances you can get help with costs of travel to hospital -see link - but I don't know that this would cover taxi costs.

Broke_n_Broken

sleepless_saver wrote: »

It sounds like a full benefits check would be a good idea. CAB should be able to help you with this, or possibly Macmillan, and also help with the application for attendance allowance.

Definitely go for a benefits check up. I'd say visit both, or at least visit CAB and phone a charity like Macmillan.

sleepless_saver wrote: »

In some circumstances you can get help with costs of travel to hospital -see link - but I don't know that this would cover taxi costs.

This site:
http://www.nhs.uk/nhsengland/healthcosts/pages/nhs-low-income-scheme.aspx
is very helpful, has more info on the LIS and some useful links on the right.

SuziQ

I can't advise you on benefits, but as a bowel cancer survivor I just wanted to send you and your husband all the best and reiterate that the Macmillan nurses are wonderful at advising on finances and benefits.

mum2one

As hubby is over 65m you wouldn't be able to apply for DLA, but you can apply for Attendance Allowance, I would say speak to your macmillian nurse, as they would have been in the situ before, and there direct you with the forms and arrange help for filling them in.

Hope everything goes ok, you both take care xxx

PasturesNew

Round my way you can book voluntary drivers to go to/from hospital appointments. If available, these charge 40p/mile each way and will wait up to 2 hours at the hospital, if longer you have to pay for two bookings. This can work out cheaper than running a car and paying for parking!

The Hospital PALs (Patient Advice & Liaison??) service will know the score.

vivmagb

A big thankyou to everyone who replied, it was much appreciated, I have decided to contact Macmillan as I am sure they could help in other areas.