OVER four million people in the UK live with diabetes but some might not know they may get up to £173 a week in extra help.
Anyone with the disease could qualify for a payout from the Government.
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According to charity Diabetes UK, 4.3million suffer from the illness, with around 90% type 2 diagnoses and 8% for the more severe type 1.
But if you have diabetes, and it’s debilitating enough that it impacts you on a daily basis, you could be eligible for Personal Independence Payments (PIP).
The benefit is designed to help those struggling with any health condition or disability.
Payments are worth up to £173 a week, or almost £9,000 a year, and you can be eligible whether you’re in work or not.
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There are two elements to PIP – the daily living part and the mobility part.
The daily living part is for those who need help with everyday tasks while the mobility part is for those who need help getting around.
There are two rates for each part depending on your need – standard or enhanced. The weekly rates are:
- Standard daily living component: £68.10
- Enhanced daily living component: £101.75
- Standard mobility component: £26.90
- Enhanced mobility component: £71
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You can qualify for both parts of PIP, which means the maximum amount you can receive each week, currently, is £172.75.
It’s a potentially life-changing amount of money, so if you don’t claim it already, it’s worth checking if you do qualify.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says there is no specific list of conditions that entitle people to PIP.
What is diabetes?
DIABETES is a life-long health condition which affects around 4.8 million people in the UK.
It is a condition caused by high levels of glucose – or sugar – in the blood.
Glucose levels are so high because the body is unable to properly use it.
In people diagnosed with diabetes, their pancreas doesn’t produce any insulin, or not enough insulin.
Insulin is a hormone typically produced by the pancreas and allows glucose to enter the cells in the body, where it’s used for energy.
Common signs you may have diabetes include:
- going to the toilet a lot, especially at night
- being really thirsty
- feeling more tired than usual
- losing weight without trying to
- genital itching or thrush
- cuts and wounds that take longer to heal
- blurred vision
Diabetes UK’s four Ts campaign – Toilet, Thirsty, Tired and Thinner – aims to raise awareness of the key signs.
Type 2 diabetes is the more common form of the disease – accounting for between 85 and 95 per cent of all cases, according to Diabetes UK.
It develops when the insulin-producing cells in the body are unable to produce enough insulin.
It can also be triggered when the insulin that is produced doesn’t work properly.
Type 1 diabetes is where the cells in the body that typically produce insulin have been destroyed, leaving the body unable to produce the key hormone.
It’s far less common, affecting around 10% of adults who have the disease.
It is treated with daily insulin injections or an insulin pump.
This form of the disease typically occurs in childhood, or before the age of 40 and is not linked to obesity.
However, if your diabetes impacts you enough on a day-to-day basis, you could be eligible.
What is PIP and who is eligible?
If you’re suffering from a long-term health condition or disability, you can get extra cash via PIP.
It is available to those aged 16 or over but you also must be below the state pension age, currently 66.
Crucially, you must also have a health condition or disability where you either have had difficulties with daily living or getting around (or both) for three months.
You also must expect these difficulties to continue for at least nine months (unless you’re terminally ill with less than 12 months to live).
Difficulties with daily living can include:
- Preparing or eating food
- Washing, bathing and using the toilet
- Dressing and undressing
- Reading and communicating
- Managing your medicines or treatments
- Making decisions about money
- Engaging with other people
PIP payments are tax-free and the amount you get is not affected by your income or savings.
You can also claim it alongside other benefits, except the Armed Forces Independence payment.
Meanwhile, if you receive Constant Attendance Allowance you will receive less of the daily living part of PIP.
If you get the War Pensioners’ Mobility Supplement you will not receive the mobility part of PIP.
How do you apply for PIP?
You can start a claim by calling the DWP on 0800 917 2222.
There are also other ways to claim if you don’t want to call up. You should check out gov.uk for more information.
When you claim, you’ll need the following information to hand:
- Your contact details
- Date of birth
- National Insurance number
- Bank or building society account number and sort code
- Your doctor or health worker’s name
- Address and telephone number,
- Dates and addresses for any time you’ve spent abroad, in a care home or hospital
Someone else can call on your behalf, but you’ll need to be with them when they call.
You’ll then be sent a form to fill in, after which you’ll be invited for an assessment or your health or social care worker will be asked for information.
After this, you’ll be sent a letter telling you if your claim has been successful.
You can read Citizens Advice’s help on preparing for an assessment guide on its website.
If you apply for PIP and are unsuccessful, you can appeal the decision.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help you check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to.
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator works out whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credits and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to not only find out which benefits you could receive but also to find out how much cash you’ll have leftover each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can give you an indication of what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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