Access to benefits

Financial support is available from the government in the form of benefits for those who are eligible. However, many cancer patients do not know about them and it can take up to six months before they can claim them. We don't think this is fair.

What we want

We believe that cancer patients urgently need a better deal and are calling on the government to:

• ensure every cancer patient is offered specialist benefits advice at diagnosis
• waive the 3- and 6-month retrospective qualifying periods for Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance, and the 6-month prospective test for Disability Living Allowance for cancer patients
• change the hospital downrating rules so that patients do not lose their Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance after 28 days in hospital
• conduct a review of the DLA/AA terminal illness rules that looks at how the process is working and whether the definition of terminal illness should be widened from six to 12 months.