As part of Beth’s research exploring life beyond cancer, she has been visiting and speaking with a range of organisations and services that provide support for those living with and beyond cancer. These services play a vital role in helping people navigate the ongoing physical and emotional impact of cancer and/or its treatment. In this blog, Beth hears from the Macmillan Essex Citizens Advice Welfare Benefits Service which offers vital support for those suffering with the financial impact of a cancer diagnosis.
The Macmillan Essex Citizens Advice Welfare Benefits service was created to help Essex residents with a cancer diagnosis and their families (and cancer patients being treated in Essex). Living with cancer can entail extra costs, whether that’s travelling to appointments, having to spend more on heating because you’ve become less resilient to cold, or paying for a special diet – and of course it can have a massive impact on your income if you have to stop working or take time off for treatment.
Our caseworkers have built up a lot of expertise in navigating the benefits system, knowing what’s available and what the eligibility criteria are. The last thing a cancer sufferer wants to do is to wrestle with complicated forms and confusing acronyms, and this is where our service can help to guide people through the process, supporting them to claim the benefits they are entitled to and to challenge unfair or incorrect decisions.
Jim’s experience is a good example. He lives alone with family nearby and had already suffered from cancer some years previously. With a new diagnosis, Jim found that he was struggling to cover the resulting increased energy and transport costs. A family member had downloaded an application form for Attendance Allowance but found it very difficult to complete.
One of our caseworkers helped Jim to make an online application, which was approved and he now receives an extra £110.40 per week (backdated to the submission of the online form). And as a result of this award, Jim’s Pension Credit has increased by £82.80 per week. Being awarded AA also unlocks other possibilities – Jim is eligible for a Blue Badge, the low-income water tariff, reduced energy costs and support with transport. And his daughter, who is now looking after him, is able to claim for Carer’s Allowance.
Jim’s daughter, Claire, said: ‘Dad has worked all his life and never asked for or received anything like this before. This is going to make such a difference to his life. No words can ever express how grateful we are to you.’
You can find out more about the Macmillan Essex Citizens Advice Welfare Benefits Service at www.citizensadviceessex.org.uk/macmillan
Or you can contact us by email: [email protected]
Or phone our helpline, open Mon–Fri, 10am–4pm: 0300 373 0952