Cancer diagnosis

nurseauxy

Hello everyone,
hope you can advise me, I got diagnosed April last year and I have used up all what I had saved,I am 63 now and as wondering if I am allowed benefits at all, I have no other income coming in now , my partner does not give me any money as he says he earns it so it’s his, he does pay some bills though .

KatrinaWaves

nurseauxy said:

Hello everyone,
hope you can advise me, I got diagnosed April last year and I have used up all what I had saved,I am 63 now and as wondering if I am allowed benefits at all, I have no other income coming in now , my partner does not give me any money as he says he earns it so it’s his, he does pay some bills though .

You may be entitled to some benefits related to your illness.

however anything means tested will be based on your partners income regardless of his selfishness, so that may rule you out of many benefits other than PIP. 

Rubyroobs

nurseauxy said:

Hello everyone,
hope you can advise me, I got diagnosed April last year and I have used up all what I had saved,I am 63 now and as wondering if I am allowed benefits at all, I have no other income coming in now , my partner does not give me any money as he says he earns it so it’s his, he does pay some bills though .

Have you worked in recent years ? If you have worked and paid sufficient NI contributions over the past 2-3 years you may be able to claim New style ESA. Also look at PIP if your illness causes you to have difficulties with daily living activities and/ or mobility. Anything else would be means tested and assessed on joint income.

calcotti

I am very sorry to hear that you have used up your savings before investigating whether or not you have any benefit entitlement.

Expanding on what ruby has posted:

Personal Independence Payment - a non means tested benefit for those who, due to a health condition, have difficulty carrying out various activities. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/pip/

new style ESA - a non means tested benefit for those who have a health condition that limits their ability to work. If you are receiving or recovering from radiotherapy or chemotherapy you will be entitled to be automatically treated as having Limited Capability for Work and Work Related Activity so will meet the health condition. You will need a GP Fit Note in order to claim. If you can get a backdated Fit Note you can backdate the claim by up to 3 months. However you will only be able to claim if you have a complete NI record for April 2017 to April 2019 - were you in work and earning over £118/week before becoming ill and, if so, when did you stop work?
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/new-style-employment-and-support-allowance
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/sick-or-disabled-people-and-carers/employment-and-support-allowance/help-with-your-esa-claim/claiming-new-style-esa/

Universal credit - a means tested benefit but you would both have to claim and any entitlement would be based on your joint income and savings. In your circumstances it may therefore not be possible. If your joint savings exceed £16,000 you would not be eligible. 
https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/benefits/universal-credit/

KatrinaWaves

Your previous posts describe an income protection insurance. Did you get that sorted out? Are you still fostering and getting your fostering allowance? 

longhill

You could speak to the mcmillan nurse at the hospital or ring the number on website they are very helpful the nurse at our hospital help us and even filled in the forms for us