This is complicated but any guidance welcome.

MikeJO

The starting point is that for many years now my wife and I have lived on DLA then PIP for her and CA for me along with income support followed by UC. All very straightforward even though I went through a period of cancer treatment in 2013/14, there was no need to change anything because I still "cared" for her (a lot of her problems were to do with mental health) while she spent a lot of time caring for me. But in the last weeks things have changed dramatically. First I was concerned about something that made me worried my cancer was returning and after tests and scans and biopsys it was confirmed last Thursday that it had come back and I needed very major surgery (seeing consultant on Monday to find out timescale) and a minimum 2/3 week hospital stay, so needed to arrange care for my wife which as we have five children was not a major issue. But then in the early hours of Tuesday this week my wife died in her sleep (at 53), still unexplained by port mortem yesterday.
So obviously once I inform the powers that be her PIP and my CA will stop and UC will fall dramatically. So really, without knowing timescales will I be eligable for any disability benefits and how do I begin to claim them if I'm in intensive care? Will I be able to claim bereavement support? I'm just very concerned that if I'm called in for the surgery very quickly (apart from the fact I won't be able to go through the bureaucracy I need to following my wife's death or arrange a funeral) I'll be left unable to pay my rent/bills so how do I live? I appreciate that this, particularly throwing the virus into the pot, is a "perfect storm" of uncertainty and normally I'd be straight down to the CAB but not an option at the moment obviously. Do I just try to explain in my UC journal? Just a horrific time as you can imagine and I don't know what to do.

calcotti

Firstly, sorry for your loss. What an awful time for you.

The CA will continue for 8 weeks from the date of death.
Your UC will continue to be calculated for this assessment period and the next two as if your wife is still alive. Therefore the only immediate drop in income will be the PIP stopping.

You need to declare your own health conditions to UC with a GP Fit Note, if you have not already done so. You will be sent a health questionnaire which you will need to complete and return. Because of your cancer treatment you should be treated as having LCWRA which means you can be paid the LCWRA element from the fifth payment after you report the condition.

You will be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment and this will be extra money which does not affect your other benefits. https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment

So

• report death to DWP Bereavement Service. They will inform UC, PIP and CA and take a BSP claim. Possibly sensible to post message in UC journal too re death.
• report your health situation through UC journal, you will need to get a Fit Note within 7 days to support this.

When you register the death you will get details of the Tell Us Once service which allows you to report the death to multiple agencies at the same time.

This is useful https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies as is https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/what-to-do-after-a-death/

in respect of disability benefits you may may be able to claim PIP if your condition(s) are likely to have a long term impact on your ability to do the prescribed activities. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

theoretica

What a terrible time.  Are you already in contact with the Macmillan charity?  If not, I think it might be worth talking to them - they can be great with the financial aspects of cancer.

calcotti

theoretica said:

What a terrible time.  Are you already in contact with the Macmillan charity?  If not, I think it might be worth talking to them - they can be great with the financial aspects of cancer.

They can give small grants too but I would suggest there may be greater need for this when the UC drops in about four months time. 

MikeJO

theoretica said:

What a terrible time.  Are you already in contact with the Macmillan charity?  If not, I think it might be worth talking to them - they can be great with the financial aspects of cancer.

I actually work for Macmillan as a volunteer in their online community @calcotti has given great and reassuring advice above. Thanks.

MikeJO

Somehow a big chunk of that last post went missing! Thanks @theoretica

MikeJO

calcotti said:

Firstly, sorry for your loss. What an awful time for you.

The CA will continue for 8 weeks from the date of death.
Your UC will continue to be calculated for this assessment period and the next two as if your wife is still alive. Therefore the only immediate drop in income will be the PIP stopping.

You need to declare your own health conditions to UC with a GP Fit Note, if you have not already done so. You will be sent a health questionnaire which you will need to complete and return. Because of your cancer treatment you should be treated as having LCWRA which means you can be paid the LCWRA element from the fifth payment after you report the condition.

You will be able to claim Bereavement Support Payment and this will be extra money which does not affect your other benefits. https://www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment

So

• report death to DWP Bereavement Service. They will inform UC, PIP and CA and take a BSP claim. Possibly sensible to post message in UC journal too re death.
• report your health situation through UC journal, you will need to get a Fit Note within 7 days to support this.

When you register the death you will get details of the Tell Us Once service which allows you to report the death to multiple agencies at the same time.

This is useful https://www.gov.uk/when-someone-dies as is https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/family/death-and-wills/what-to-do-after-a-death/

in respect of disability benefits you may may be able to claim PIP if your condition(s) are likely to have a long term impact on your ability to do the prescribed activities. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

Thanks so much for all of that, my worry is that I go in on Monday and consultant says, "You need to come in on Wednesday". But there's no advantage in worrying about things out of my hands at the moment, really appreciate the detailed reply and the condolences. Just feel overwhelmed with so much to do inc. funeral arrangements, though the coronor's office are aware of the situation and will move wife back to mortuary if funeral has to be postponed.

MikeJO

I didn't mention that I can't register death yet as it's still unexplained so I'll only have interim death certificates, tests I'm told likely to be two week by which time I'll almost certainly be in hospital.

calcotti

DWP Bereavement Service helpline. Telephone: 0800 731 0469 

Rubyroobs

Sorry to read what an awful time you are having. As far as your Uc goes, your claim will become a single claim eventually. depending on your recovery from surgery and whether you have any further treatments ( Chemotherapy/ radiotherapy etc), then you may be awarded LCW or LCWRA element of UC. If your surgery recovery was straightforward and you weren't awarded LCW or LCWRA then you should have no work related requirements for at least 6 months due to the bereavement of your spouse.
As pp says you will be able to claim Bereavement support payments. If you still have dependent children then this will be the higher amount. You may also be able to claim the DWP funeral grant to help with funeral costs as you are in receipt of a qualifying means tested benefit.

MikeJO

Also (sorry) my CA is paid into my wife's bank account, can I leave that open or am I legally bound to close it?