Under the proposals to reform Disability Living Allowance (DLA), families could have to wait until six months after their child’s cancer diagnosis to claim DLA, rather than the current three months.
Lorraine Clifton, chief executive of Clic Sargent, argued that families of children and young people with cancer incur extra costs from the point of diagnosis. This is because treatment for childhood cancer normally starts immediately and children are treated at specialist centres, sometimes hundreds of miles from home. Many parents take unpaid leave to care for their child and face significant travel costs.
Clifton added that the increased qualifying period would also mean that some families, for example those whose child’s cancer treatment is shorter than a year, will receive no benefit support at all, despite the financial burden they face.
"Finances may seem unimportant when a child is diagnosed with cancer, but the costs that families face are significant and they begin on the day of diagnosis, not three months or six months later," she explained.
"DLA is a lifeline which helps families cope with the financial burden of childhood cancer, but the government’s proposals could leave many without any financial support at the time when they need it most, and will stretch many families’ finances to breaking point."
Clic Sargent’s social workers provide support to families affected by childhood cancer, including help with benefit applications.
When surveyed, they estimated that increasing the qualifying period for DLA to six months would mean that nine in 10 families affected by childhood cancer would suffer financially. They also said that four fifths of the families they support would not be able to cope without DLA.
Julie from Middlesex, whose two year-old daughter is undergoing cancer treatment, slammed the government’s plans.
"Childhood cancer is rare, but if the government implements these proposals some children will still get cancer and some parents will have to give up work to care for their child," she said. "These proposals will make surviving that ordeal even more difficult than it is already, and some families will not cope under the pressure."
Clic Sargent is now calling on government to reconsider its proposal to extend the DLA qualifying period and to allow children and young people with cancer to apply for benefits straight away.
The charity also wants the new DLA assessment process to include input from relevant health and social care professionals who have an in-depth knowledge of the applicant’s condition.
