The law has increased the time needed for terminal illness/ life expectancy from 6 to 12 months
for DLA- Disability Living Allowance / PIP- Personal Independence Payment/ AA- Attendance Allowance.
The change should make it easier to qualify from 3/4/2023.
Here's the criteria under these 'special rules'- a person with a progressive disease is considered to be terminally ill when their death as a consequence of that disease can reasonably be expected within 12 months.
If a client fts the defnition of terminally ill, it qualifes them for the high rate of the Care Component of DLA, or the enhanced rate of the Daily Living Component of PIP, or the high rate of AA. Awards are normally for a fixed 3 year period.
Similar provisions were changed from 6 to 12 months from 4/4/2022 for The Limited Capability for Work Assessment (to get in the support group) for ESA- Employment and Support Allowance and also for UC- Universal Credit.
'...criteria align with the end-of-life approach in the NHS....I am proud to say that when someone is in their last year of life, they can now beneft from improved support from the benefts system. By expanding eligibility, we will provide thousands more people with fnancial support to allow them to focus on sharing the valuable time they have left with the people who matter most to them.' Book now Benefits and Mental Health 2023