What Benefits Would Someone Suffering From Ms Be Entitled To?

[sandyRoe]

When she made her initial claim would the person who dealt with it have directed her towards any others benefits she may be eligible for?

I'm thinking of Incapacity Benefit and Disability Living Allowance.

[sandyRoe]

Is there also Attendance Allowance?

[ubasses]

This may be a good place to look.

https://www.mssociety.org.uk/sites/default/files/2020-10/Benefits%20and%20MS%20-%20MSS.pdf

[Peter Pedant]

Hi Ubasses - thx for your input

It depends on the disability and not the diagnosis ( xc terminal cancer) - and remember she must remember her WORST day and not say brightly "o really most of the time I am OK".

and jesus I am sorry for the diagnosis

[barry1010]

DLA is now PIP and you can't claim PIP and Attendance Allowance together.

Under pension age, it's PIP; over pension age it is Attendance Allowance 

[barry1010]

And no, I wouldn't expect the person who dealt with her claim to tell her about other entitlements.  What benefits does she get now?

[rowanwitch]

The disability benefits have been rationalised, often replaced by universal credit,  best  way I found is start with a recognised online benefit checker.( List of links on the benefits section of you gov website) From there you get further links to apply for the things you qualify for.  Once you have qualified for a baseline benefit. ( and have the letter confirming it) do the check process again as often one benefit qualifies you for others or changes the amount if you are getting them already. Continue this cycle until nothing new comes up then only repeat about once a year.   If you are under 66 the main disability benefit is Personal independence payment, and if you apply first time after this you would need to apply for attendance allowance. Neither are means tested or taxable.   The means tested benefits like universal credit are linked to housing benefit and council tax benefit, but it's also worth looking at help with help costs, and any schemes operated by your utility companies as well.  

[youngmafbog]

Depends on the condition.

I had a friend(now passed) who didnt claim anything until the end when he could no longer work. Too busy saving a nest egg for his familly who were left behind.

[sandyRoe]

Barry1010,

I don't know what benefits she receives.

I think she should contact the MS Society and they could advise her.

[barry1010]

That is sad, young.  Working people are entitled to PIP regardless of how much they earn as it is not means tested. 

[sandyRoe]

Thank you all for the replies.

[Peter Pedant]

some good advice here - I am on PIP at age 72 but that was carried over and I come in an exempt ( so far) category ( cancer)so I was gonna say

start as citizens advice....

[Calibax]

PIP looks likely to change

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/retirement/what-is-the-pip-allowance-government-to-change-disability-benefit-system/ar-AA19fTco

[barry1010]

There is proposals that are in the very first stages to change PIP but that will take a long time to come in to effect, if ever.  If this government loses the next election it may never happen. 

[rowanwitch]

If someone is approaching pension age it's better to go for pip now as it will be awarded on an ongoing basis i.e no reassessment.  It also has the advantage of having a separate mobility component of awarded the higher rate it can be used to get a car on the motability scheme.   It can be used by someone else in the persons family if it is for taking the applicant from a to b

[Old_Geezer]

We all suffer from Microsoft.

I don't believe they care much.