
Universal Credit replaces six working age benefits, including Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), which provides financial support to people who are unable to work due to illness or disability.
We are calling on the UK Government to address the problems people with cancer are facing with Universal Credit.
- Universal Credit should be easy to access and apply for. Support and adjustments should be automatically offered to people who might struggle with the application process.
- People with cancer should be able to get support to make a claim as quickly and easily as possible. The Government should reinstate implied consent for advice services like Macmillan’s Benefit Advisers to make sure they can effectively support people applying for Universal Credit.
- People who are applying for Universal Credit when they have cancer or are terminally ill should not face long waits or delays, and should receive their first payment as quickly as possible.