Coping with your cancer is hard enough without added concern for your finances – which is a frequent source of stress and discord at the best of times. This is not an easy matter to face but one which cannot be ignored and it is worth saying at the outset that seeking early advice if you believe you are facing financial problems can save you worry later.
If you have a job and your ability to work is not too badly affected so that your employer continues to pay you as usual, a loss of income may not be an issue. If this is not the case, you will need to find out whether you are able to claim any State benefits to help you. You may find this difficult, particularly if you are accustomed to supporting your family financially, either alone or jointly. The idea that you are no longer able to guarantee to ‘provide’ for them in the same way is not easy to accept. In spite of this, it is important to ensure you receive any benefits you are entitled to – this is not a time to allow pride and your sense of independence from the State to stand in the way of financial help.
If you were not working or were retired, then your usual sources of income may be unaffected but it is nonetheless important for you to establish whether you are now entitled to any benefits as a result of your cancer.
You may feel disinclined to wade through booklets and forms when you already have enough on your mind. There is likely to be a social worker attached to your hospital whom you can consult fof help in determining whether you qualify for any financial help. Do draw on their expertise – they may be able to save you time and effort by advising you and providing you with booklets and the relevant forms to fill in, and help you with the forms if you wish. If you prefer, information about Social Security is available by phone on Freeline Social Security 0800 666 555. The Benefit Enquiry Line on 0800 88 22 00 also exists for information on benefits for people who are sick or have a disability. The Benefits Agency produces a number of booklets containing information about these benefits, and you may be able to obtain these from your hospital.
For me initially the Benefits Agency appeared a complete mystery. I had never had any direct dealings with the DSS (from a personal rather than a business perspective) and their whole manner and method – not to mention the thickness and complexity of the application forms – was enough to make me feel that the whole exercise could not be worth the effort. The level of questioning and intrusion into what had previously been private matters was very disconcerting. However, I was very lucky to be referred to the hospital social worker who immediately – and correctly – identified those benefits to which I and my partner were entitled. (Neither of us was working now – I was not physically able to and my partner was spending all the time she could with me in hospital or supporting me at home.) The social worker also guided us through the application forms. The moral is to use the resources which are available to you as a patient. Do seek out the key social worker who will be on ‘your side’, don’t accept any initial rejections by the Benefits Agency if you are sure you have a good case and hold out for those benefits to which you are legally and morally entitled.
The details which follow give an outline of the more common benefits available. They are not exhaustive, and you may be entitled to more help depending on your circumstances.
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