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Dept for Work and Pensions

Answer

Sir Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions (1) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that cancer patients are offered specialist benefits advice at diagnosis; and if he will make a statement; [198208] (2) how many cancer sufferers who have subsequently died from their illness did not receive (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance in each of the last five years for which figures are available; [198209] (3) how many cancer sufferers without terminal diagnosis are not receiving (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance; [198210] (4) if he will make a statement on the (a) operation and (b) take-up of the special rules gateway governing eligibility for higher rates of (i) disability living allowance and (ii) attendance allowance for patients with terminal illness; [198211] (5) what steps his Department is taking to publicise the entitlement link between (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance and (i) carer's allowance and (ii) income support; [198212] (6) if he will make it his Department's policy (a) to waive the three to six month qualifying period for cancer patients claiming disability living allowance and attendance allowance and (b) to permit hospital in- patients to keep their (i) disability living allowance and (ii) attendance allowance for 52 weeks; [198213] (7) if he will revoke the 28-day linking rule for (a) disability living allowance and (b) attendance allowance claimants who are hospitalised; and if he will change the definition of terminal illness from six to 12 months. [198214] Maria Eagle: The Department has special arrangements that recognise the particular difficulties faced by people who have only a short time to live, whether due to cancer or any other progressive disease. People in these circumstances are awarded attendance allowance or the highest rate of the care component of disability living allowance automatically without having to satisfy a qualifying period, and without having to complete a claim form to demonstrate their care needs. These arrangements ensure that claims are dealt with quickly and sensitively. In the year ending 31 May 2004 15,800 new claims were awarded under special rules and at the 31 may 2004 88,200 people were receiving either disability living allowance or attendance allowance under the Special Rules. On average it takes less than six days to make an award in these cases. Advice about benefits is widely available from a range of sources including social security or Jobcentre Plus offices, post offices, doctors' surgeries and other advice agencies to ensure that people who are disabled can make informed decisions about whether or not to claim disability benefits. Additionally, leaflets explaining the links between disability benefits and carers allowance and income support are sent directly to customers when they are notified about their award of benefit. Officials have met with Macmillan cancer relief to discuss their report and will be holding further discussions with them about the scope for measures that will help people with cancer to receive benefits advice at the earliest opportunity. Information is not available on how many people with cancer who subsequently died from that illness did not receive disability living allowance or attendance allowance nor is information available as to how many people with cancer who do not have a terminal diagnosis are not receiving these benefits. There are no plans to change the definition of terminal illness or the rules governing the payment of disability living allowance and attendance allowance to people in hospital.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

426 c1896-7W;426 c1901-2W; 198208;198209;198210;198211;198212;198213;198214

Session

2003-04

Subjects

Disability living allowance Benefits rules Cancer Advisory services Chronic illnesses Attendance allowance Carers' benefits Income support Hospitals Eligibility Patients Publicity Recipients Social security benefits Take-up

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk