Friend Diagnosed with Cancer - What Help Can She Get

Terrysdelight

Hello

My friend has just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Up until yesterday, she was a self employed child minder. She is booked in for an operation and then intense treatment so had to give up work with immediate effect. Obviously she has to focus on herself and her own children.

My friend is divorced so unfortunately there is no other income.

Based on the information I have given, can someone please give me a list of benefits she would be entitled to?

Many thanks
Terrysdelight

harveybobbles

Do they have a Macmillian nurse? they are great and usually give people £300.

Apply for ESA/DLA.

Does she live in her own home or council/housing !!!?

Does she have a mortgage?

Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support.. etc

Terrysdelight

harveybobbles wrote: »

Do they have a Macmillian nurse? they are great and usually give people £300.

Apply for ESA/DLA.

Does she live in her own home or council/housing !!!?

Does she have a mortgage?

Housing Benefit, Council Tax Support.. etc

Thank you.

She has her own house and a mortgage.

She has been given a big folder on MacMillan nurses.

pmlindyloo

Sorry to hear the news.

I am making the assumption that she has no savings - please correct if she has)

If she has a child under five years old then she can claim Income Support. This would give her full Housing Benefit (up to her local housing allowance - look it up on her local council website) and full Council Tax benefit.

If her children are over 5 years old then she needs to claim Employment and Support Allowance and Housing Benefit/Housing costs( if she has a mortgage) and Council Tax benefit.

She should notify tax credits of the change in situation and they will adjust her award. She will be claiming child tax credits only.

She can look up her entitlement using the benefit calculator here:

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/benefits_search.aspx

If she has care needs she may be eligible for Disability Living Allowance. However, usually you have had to had the care needs for 3 months before claiming and expected to have them for 6 months after claiming. There is a fast track if it is a terminal illness (I am sure this isn't the case but need to mention it - sorry) and the time limits are disregarded. You can look it up by googling.

Your friend can ask for some support from Macmillan Nurses who will help her with applying for benefits.

Very best wishes for your friend's full recovery.

Terrysdelight

Whilst working she was receiving child tax credits. Will she still be able to receive child tax credits?

Many thanks

pmlindyloo

Terrysdelight wrote: »

Whilst working she was receiving child tax credits. Will she still be able to receive child tax credits?

Many thanks

Absolutely. You do not have to be working to receive Child Tax credit.

Terrysdelight

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Absolutely. You do not have to be working to receive Child Tax credit.

Thanks pmlindyloo. You asked in an earlier post if friend has any savings. She does, but I don't know how much. I don't really like to ask the question as it seems a bit rude/impersonal :-(

I know some benefits would be affected by savings - is there a figure I can tell her?

Errata

harveybobbles wrote: »

Do they have a Macmillian nurse? they are great and usually give people £300.

c

That would be nice if they did, but they don't. Sorry.

pmlindyloo

Terrysdelight wrote: »

Thanks pmlindyloo. You asked in an earlier post if friend has any savings. She does, but I don't know how much. I don't really like to ask the question as it seems a bit rude/impersonal :-(

I know some benefits would be affected by savings - is there a figure I can tell her?

Any means tested benefits have a savings limit of £16000 - below £6000 no deductions from benefit - between £6000 and £16000 deductions on a sliding scale.

Tax Credits do not have a savings limit although capital earning above £300 interest per year needs to be declared.

If she is applying for ESA she may be entitled to contribution based ESA if she has been paying class 2 NI contributions whilst self employed. Contribution based benefits do not have any savings limits.

Terrysdelight

pmlindyloo wrote: »

Any means tested benefits have a savings limit of £16000 - below £6000 no deductions from benefit - between £6000 and £16000 deductions on a sliding scale.

Tax Credits do not have a savings limit although capital earning above £300 interest per year needs to be declared.

If she is applying for ESA she may be entitled to contribution based ESA if she has been paying class 2 NI contributions whilst self employed. Contribution based benefits do not have any savings limits.

Thanks so much. Truly appreciated.