Research shows that young people with cancer in England are waiting for an average of seven months on average before obtaining the advantages of disability to support their treatment, raising invitations to people who have a diagnosis to qualify to help immediately.
Research conducted by The Charity Young Lives shows that families of children with cancer on average face approximately 700 pounds per month at additional expenses during their treatment.
The 2010 Equality Law (in England, Scotland and Wales) and the Disability Disability Law (in Northern Ireland) is the diagnosis of cancer as a disability. But young people with cancer and their families should wait three months before they are eligible to obtain the advantages of disability, even with a certain diagnosis.
Once they can apply, they face a four -month waiting average before receiving a decision on any financial support.
The first months after the cancer can require immediate financial expenses and the system does not allow people to receive background payments.
If a person is expected to live 12 months or less, then he does not need to meet the rehabilitation period for three months to be eligible, while applying exemptions from special rules.
Oliver, 16, from Solhoul, was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer in his leg last year. The tests revealed that the Adamin tumor was and had to amputate his leg.
“Tell me that Oliver was not sick enough to claim [benefits] His mother Kerry said:
I applied for advantages support in April last year and was granted as a result in September, five months later.
“The hospital is an hour away from us and not driving the car. It cost us 48 pounds a day for us to travel in taxis there and return.”
The family needed to buy new clothes to fit Oliver, and faced higher electricity costs to charge the artificial leg. “Olie’s leg needs electricity because it is a small processing. If I do not have electricity, he cannot walk.”
Kerry also needed to heat the house more also to keep Oliver warm. “I immunity was for six months, and therefore the house had to be heated constantly. She said:” You broke me completely financially. “
Daniel Roberts, from North Wales, applied for a disability allowance in January 2024 after her nine -year -old daughter was diagnosed with cancer in October 2023.
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Roberts did not receive any financial support until five months later in June 2024, eight months after her child was diagnosed.
They live an hour and 15 minutes from the hospital-a trip and forth 120 miles-so each trip costs and forth about 30 pounds in fuel. This, in addition to the costs of food while he was in the hospital and additional heating bills while her daughter was at home, all left.
Research conducted by young people’s life found 96 % of young people with cancer and their families additional travel costs after the diagnosis, on average £ 250 per month.
The Charitable Society calls on the government to cancel the rehabilitation period for a period of three months for children and young people with cancer to demand the benefits of disability and that the system be simple, effective and simplified, using medical evidence to determine the eligibility for patients quickly.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Labor and pensions said: “We are committed to ensuring that people can reach financial support through personal independence payments and the livelihood of disability for children in time.
“But we realize that the waiting is very high, and we have increased the number of employees to respond to the increase in the demands of the claim.”