Access to welfare, benefits and the other health-related concessions can be complex and confusing, with different eligibility criteria and different agencies involved deciding on claims.
As a small charity, we are not able to give individualised information or advice on welfare, benefits or health-related concessions but below are some useful links which can help you access further information on:
Help with prescription costs
- NHS prescriptions are free in England if you’re aged 60 or over.
- For people in England who pay for prescriptions, if you meet one of the eligibility criteria you can apply for a medical exemption certificate. For people living with PRD, the qualifying criteria will likely be ‘undergoing treatment for the effects of cancer treatment’. You will need to complete a prescription charge exemption form (FP29A) at your GP practice. The certificate is valid for 5 years and you will need to renew it completing the FP29A form with your GP practice.
- All prescriptions dispensed in Northern Ireland are free of charge for everyone. This includes medication, wigs and surgical appliances. You do not need to do anything to qualify for free prescriptions as everyone is automatically entitled. For more information visit NI Direct.
- Prescriptions in Scotland are free. For more information visit NHS inform.
- If you are registered with a GP in Wales you are entitled to free prescriptions from a pharmacist in Wales. If you live in Wales but are registered with a GP in England you will be issued with an entitlement card. This allows a prescription issued in England to be dispensed at a pharmacy in Wales for free. You should receive your entitlement card automatically. For more information visit GOV.WALES.
Help with bills
- Grants and Benefits to help you pay your energy bills – England
- Grants and Benefits to help you pay your energy bills – Scotland
- Help with your water bills (see below)
We understand that some people with Pelvic Radiation Disease require higher essential use of water for things like: numerous toilet flushes, additional laundry needs and additional showers/baths. There are different schemes available depending where you live in the UK:
| Location | Service/Information | Details |
| England | WaterSure | WaterSure is a scheme which helps some people with their water bills. To apply for the scheme, you must be on benefits and need to use a lot of water either for medical reasons or because your household has a certain number of school-age children. You also need to be on a water meter or be waiting to have one installed. Further information can be found at Citizens Advice. |
| Northern Ireland | NI Water | If you live in Northern Ireland and you are an older person; have a serious medical condition or disability or need extra help for any other reason, extra free services may be available to you or anyone in your household. You need to join the NI Water Customer Care Register. |
| Scotland | Scottish Water | If you are on a water meter and pay Scottish Water directly you would have to negotiate with Scottish Water to revert to ordinary non-metered charging for water if you want to receive a discount or exemption. Further information can be found at Citizens Advice Scotland. |
| Wales | Welsh Water HelpU scheme | If you get help through the Welsh Water HelpU scheme, your water bill will be capped. This means you won’t pay over a certain amount for the year. Further information can be found at Citizens Advice. |
Benefits for you
There are a number of benefits you may be eligible for depending on your circumstances.
| Benefit | Location | Description |
| Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) | You can apply for (ESA)if you have a disability or health condition that affects how much you can work. | |
| Personal Independence Allowance (PIP) | PIP can help with extra living costs if you have both:
– a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability – difficulty doing certain everyday tasks or getting around because of your condition |
|
| Adult Disability Payment | Adult Disability Payment is extra money to help you if you have a disability or long-term health condition that affects your everyday life. |
Benefits where someone is caring for you
| Benefit | Location | Description |
| Attendance Allowance | Attendance Allowance helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you. | |
| Carers Allowance | You could get Carers Allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and they get certain benefits. | |
| Carers Credits | Carer’s Credit is a National Insurance credit that helps with gaps in your National Insurance record. You could get Carer’s Credit if you’re caring for someone for at least 20 hours a week. | |
| Carers Support Payment | At the moment this is limited to Dundee, Perth & Kinross, and Western Isles
Carer Support Payment will be available in more areas from spring 2024 and across Scotland by autumn 2024. |
Help and advice
There are a number of charities and organisations that are free to access and can provide help from a welfare rights adviser.
- Get help in-person, online or over the phone from Citizens Advice for
– England
– Scotland
– Wales
- You can get individual advice about your situation from an experienced Benefits Advisors at your nearest Maggie’s centre.
- Macmillan Cancer Support also has information on benefits for people affected by cancer. You can talk to a Macmillan welfare rights adviser by calling their support line on 0808 808 0000.
- For benefits advice in Northern Ireland you can contact Advice NI.
Modified: 14th March 2023