A major DWP rule change next month will see thousands of people with terminal illnesses given fast-tracked access to disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment.
Previously, they could only get state support paid quickly if expected to die within six months. Campaigners fought the policy to be scrapped so that parents would not have to deal with financial worries in addition to their medical condition, saying that this was too little too late.
Last year, the Department for Work and Pensions agreed that people with a period of 12 months left to live would get the highest rate of benefits and quickly, but only if applying for Universal Credit or Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). New legislation which will come into effect in April will also fast-track payments for Personal Independent Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance, meaning thousands will be able to get vital cash approved months earlier, BirminghamLive reports.
Read more: DWP issues £301 cost of living payment update on when cash will hit bank accounts
The DWP said quick access to support was being extended to more people nearing the end of their live with the aim of providing peace of mind and financial security. These changes to the 'Special Rules for End of Life' should mean that claims for PIP, DLA and Attendance Allowance will be deal with swiftly, and people won't have to attend a medical assessment and in the majority of cases will receive the highest rate of benefits.
Tom Pursglove, Minister for Disabled People, Health and Work, said: "Helping people in the final year of their lives to get faster access to financial support is the right thing to do, providing the dignity they deserve. Extending this support will ensure more people can concentrate on making the most of their remaining time with loved ones, rather than worrying about finances.
"I am especially grateful to my predecessors in the role for the vital work they did, in bringing forward this hugely important reform, which I am glad to confirm will be implemented very soon."
Professor Bee Wee, National Clinical Director for End of Life Care at NHS England, said: "This is a truly significant step forward in improving the support for people who are likely to die in the next 12 months. The changes to the Special Rules will provide them with faster and easier access to much-needed financial support at this difficult time in their lives, and that of those important to them."
Steve McIntosh, Executive Director of Advocacy and Communications at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: "We welcome today’s news that more people with cancer will be able to access easier, fast-tracked financial support when they are nearing the end of life. Cancer can have a significant financial burden on a person’s life, and for many the situation is being made worse by the rapid rise in day-to-day living costs.
"These changes will help a greater number of people to focus on making the most of the time they have left and is an important step towards ensuring those with a terminal diagnosis have timely access to financial support when they need it most."
Mark Jackson, Senior Policy and Research Manager at Marie Curie, said: "We are pleased to see these changes come into effect, having campaigned alongside terminally ill people and the Motor Neurone Disease Association to scrap the previous six-month rule. A terminal diagnosis should not come with the added stress of financial struggles and these changes are an important step in the right direction to ensure that doesn’t happen."
Alex Massey, Head of Campaigning, Policy and Public Affairs at the Motor Neurone Disease Association, said: "Living with a complex disease like MND is devastating and unpredictable, and the reformed Special Rules for End of Life process will enable more people with the disease to access the support they need quickly without the need for a face-to-face assessment. Years of campaigning by the MND Association and Marie Curie has led to this important reform and we are delighted that it is now in place across all applicable benefits."
The Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Act 2022 will come into effect from Monday April 3 after it received Royal Assent in November last year.
Read next
- Calls grow for a 'social tariff' to help low-income families afford energy bills
- New rules mean cheaper broadband for more low-income families
- Cost of living: A five-step plan to get debt free in 2023
- How to get help if you’re struggling with the cost of food - including voucher schemes
- All the big money changes to look out for in 2023 month by month
