Fast-track access to benefits for terminally ill as soon as diagnosed

The current special rules for terminal illness say fast-track benefit applications are only available for those with a terminal diagnosis of 12 months. I feel this is penalising people with a terminal diagnosis but who are not expected to die in the next twelve months.

Terminally ill people who are expected to live longer than twelve months are being excluded by the Government from special rules enabling fast-tracking of applications. Claims can take months and when you’re diagnosed the last thing you need is a fight to get your benefits.

The failure to fast-track access to benefits for anyone diagnosed with a terminal illness causes unnecessary suffering to people who have been told they are going to die. As soon a person is diagnosed they should automatically be fast-tracked. Why must a time scale be placed?

Terminal means terminal however long you have left to live.

Hearing that your illness cannot be cured can be a frightening and devastating experience. The Government wants to do all it can to alleviate the pressures on those nearing the end of their lives, and on their families.

The main way that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) does this is through special benefit rules, sometimes referred to as “the Special Rules”. These enable people who are nearing the end of their lives to get faster, easier access to some benefits, without needing a medical assessment and usually at the highest rate of payment. For many years, the rules have applied to people who have 6 months or less to live and now they are being changed so they apply to people who have 12 months or less to live.

These changes are well underway. From 4 April 2022, the Government changed eligibility for Special Rules access to Universal Credit (UC) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA). The Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill, currently being debated in Parliament, aims to make similar changes to Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA).

Once the change has been rolled out across all benefits, each year, between 30,000 and 60,000 people may benefit from these changes to the Special Rules. This will mean that the Government is spending approximately £115 million a year more on people who are nearing the end of their lives.

The Government has no plans to extend the eligibility criteria for the Special Rules for End of Life beyond 12 months.