Dying Brits will be able to get more of their benefits fast-tracked from next month following a change to the rules.
Ministers decided to axe the cruel "six month rule" last year, which meant terminally ill claimants had to get their GP to fill out a form confirming they were likely to die within six months to qualify for fast-tracked support.
After years of campaigning from charities and MPs, this period was changed to 12 months last April - but only for people claiming Universal Credit, and Employment and Support Allowance.
Today, the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed that this will also apply to thousands more people claiming Personal Independent Payment (PIP), Disability Living Allowance (DLA) and Attendance Allowance (AA) from April 3.
Those who are eligible will not be required to attend a medical assessment, and in the majority of cases, they will receive the highest rate of benefits, the DWP said.
Image:
Getty Images)The measures are covered in the Social Security (Special Rules for End of Life) Bill which updates the "special rules" set by the Department for Work and Pensions.
Disabled People Minister Tom Pursglove said: “Helping people in the final year of their lives to get faster access to financial support is the right thing to do, providing the dignity they deserve.
“Extending this support will ensure more people can concentrate on making the most of their remaining time with loved ones, rather than worrying about finances.”
Mark Jackson, Marie Curie’s Senior Policy and Research Manager, said: “A terminal diagnosis should not come with the added stress of financial struggles and these changes are an important step in the right direction to ensure that doesn’t happen."
Alex Massey, from the Motor Neurone Disease Association, said years of campaigning by his organisation alongside Marie Curie had led to the "important reform and we are delighted that it is now in place across all applicable benefits".
Steven McIntosh, Executive Director of Advocacy and Communications at Macmillan Cancer Support, said: “Cancer can have a significant financial burden on a person’s life, and for many the situation is being made worse by the rapid rise in day-to-day living costs.
“These changes will help a greater number of people to focus on making the most of the time they have left and is an important step towards ensuring those with a terminal diagnosis have timely access to financial support when they need it most.”
