Financial help and benefits for people having chemotherapy

There are two parts to ESA: a contributory part which is dependent on how much National Insurance you have paid, and a means tested part which is dependent on your income and savings. You may get either or both parts.

ESA is paid at a basic rate for the first 13 weeks. During this time you’ll have to take part in a work capability assessment and attend a work focused interview. After the 13-week period you’ll be assessed and placed into one of two groups. If you are found to have limited capability for work you’ll be placed in the support group and if you are found not to have limited capability for work you’ll be placed in the work related activity group. 

If you are receiving radiotherapy or intravenous chemotherapy (by injection into a vein), you will automatically be assessed as having limited capability for work and will be placed in the support group. People in the work related activity group will have to attend five more work focused interviews, which aim to help them get back into work.

An additional payment will be paid to anyone in the support group and a small additional payment will be paid to anyone in the work related activity group.

If you are self-employed| you can claim ESA as long as you have paid the correct level of National Insurance contributions. People who have not paid these may qualify for ESA under the means tested route. 

If you are ill and not able to claim, remember to ask your GP for a medical certificate for the period of your illness. If you’re in hospital, ask your doctor or nurse for a certificate to cover the time that you are an inpatient. This is necessary if you need to claim a benefit.

You may qualify for Disability Living Allowance (DLA) if you are under 65, or for Attendance Allowance (AA) if you are over 65. 

There is a fast-track claim for people who may not live longer than six months. People who claim under this ‘special rule’ need to get their doctor to complete a form for either benefit. It’s impossible to tell exactly how long someone may live and many people with advanced cancer may be entitled to this benefit. Special rules payments of AA and the DLA care component are reviewed after three years.

You may find our section about work and cancer| is useful.

Information about benefits and financial help Back to top

For more information about benefits and financial support please call our cancer support specialists|. You may also find our section about financial issues| useful.

You can find out more about benefits from your local Citizens Advice Bureau| or by calling the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882200. You can also visit the Department for Work and Pensions website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk|

Direct payments Back to top

If your assessment shows you need social services, you may be entitled to get direct payments from your local authority. This means that you are given payments to organise social services yourself, rather than the local social services paying for and organising them for you. You can get more information about direct payments from the Department of Health website at http://www.dh.gov.uk| or from your local authority.

Insurance Back to top

After having treatment for cancer, it can be more difficult to get life insurance or travel insurance. An Independent Financial Adviser (IFA) can help you with life insurance and can find the best deal for your particular situation. You can find a local IFA by referral from family or friends, looking in your phone book, or by contacting The Personal Finance Society at http://www.unbiased.co.uk| or Independent Financial Advisers Promotions Ltd (IFAP) at http://www.findanadviser.org|.

Help with NHS costs Back to top

England

Cancer is on the list of conditions which make you exempt from paying prescription charges. You can apply for an exemption certificate, which lasts for five years, by asking your hospital doctor or GP for the relevant form. 

Northern Ireland and Wales 

Prescriptions are free. 

Scotland 

Prescription charges are currently being phased out to be ended by 2011. If you need more than five prescription items in four months or more than 14 items in one year, you can cut costs by buying a Prescription Pre-payment Certificate for four months or a year. You can get this by filling in form EC95, available from your pharmacist, doctor or local NHS board. You will need to show the pharmacist your Prescription Pre-payment Certificate when you collect your prescription.

If you’re on a low income, you can apply on the Low-income Scheme claim form HCS1 for a certificate for free prescriptions and services or reduced costs (available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk|, Jobcentre Plus offices, NHS hospitals, some GPs and dentists). 

Other health costs Back to top

If you are on a low income you may be entitled to help with NHS costs including travel expenses for hospital treatment, prescriptions and wigs. You can get more information from the Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 882200 or the Department of Work and Pensions website at http://www.dwp.gov.uk|

The leaflet Are You Entitled to Help With Health Costs? (HC11) is available from post offices, staff at the hospital, Jobcentre Plus offices, or you can download it from http://www.dwp.gov.uk| If you live in Scotland, visit http://www.scotland.gov.uk| for further information.

You don’t have to pay for prescriptions or other NHS costs, if:

• you are 60 or over
• you are under 16, or under 19 and in full-time education
• you, or a member of your family, receive Income Support, the Guarantee Credit part of Pension Credit, income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance or, in certain cases, Working Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit
• you are pregnant or have had a baby in the last 12 months
• you receive a War Disablement Pension and need prescriptions for your war injury
• you are a hospital inpatient.