The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has been urged to make an "automatic" benefits change for individuals diagnosed with cancer who are unable to work. A petition initiated by Rebecca Bucknall argues that anyone with cancer who cannot work should receive automatic entitlement to Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Petition Calls for Change
The petition states: "Being unable to work due to having cancer does not give you the automatic right to claim PIP, but why shouldn’t it? We think people in these circumstances should be automatically entitled to PIP. Instead, they may face the added stress of having to fight the system as well as fight cancer."
It further highlights that individuals undergoing cancer treatment or living with life-changing surgeries resulting from cancer, and who are consequently unable to work, should be automatically entitled to PIP—yet they are not. The petition contrasts this with the ability to claim PIP for conditions like a bad back, calling the situation "so wrong."
Government Response and Parliamentary Consideration
The petition calls on the government to ensure that those undergoing cancer treatment are automatically entitled to PIP, thereby avoiding the potential added stress of having no income. If the petition reaches 10,000 signatures, the government will respond. If it garners 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Current PIP Eligibility Criteria
It is important to note that PIP is not awarded based solely on a cancer diagnosis. Instead, it is granted based on how an individual manages daily living tasks such as washing, dressing, cooking, and eating. These tasks can be affected by physical difficulties, as well as issues like memory and concentration, or mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression.
If you have reached State Pension age and are making a new claim, you should claim Attendance Allowance instead of PIP. However, if you received PIP before reaching State Pension age, you can continue to receive it.
Special Rules for Terminally Ill Patients
For those who are terminally ill, there is a special process called "special rules" for claiming PIP. Under these rules, claimants should receive their first payment within two weeks of applying. Additionally, they do not need to have had daily living or mobility problems for the past three months, nor do they need to attend an assessment meeting. Eligible individuals receive the highest rate of the daily living payment and, if applicable, the highest rate of the mobility payment. Payments are made weekly, and someone else can make the claim on the patient's behalf.
