Benefits that a patient with a mental illness can claim:

1.Disability living allowance (DLA)/ Personal independent payment (PIP)

2.Attendance allowance

3.Employment and support allowance

1.  

Disability living allowance and attendance allowance apply to patients who:

• Are Incapable of looking after themselves

• Have mobility issues

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Disability living allowance (DLA)

Eligibility for DLA

In order for individuals to be eligible for the DLA they must satisfy the following criteria 

must be between 16-64 (in April 2013)

• claim is made before 10th June 2013

• incapable of looking after themselves

• suffer from mobility issues

• If individuals are over 

If individuals are over the age of 65 they are eligible for Attendance allowance 

Attendance allowance

Eligibility

 

In order for individuals to be eligible for the AA they must satisfy the following criteria 

 

• £53- £79.15 p/w

• Over 65

• Physical/mental disability or both

• Disability is severe enough for the individual to require supervision to prevent harm to ones self or others 

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The Attendance allowance consists of a lower  and higher rate

• Lower rate: this is  where frequent support/supervision at night is required

• Higher rate:  frequent support/supervision is required throughout obth the day and throughout the night or the patient is terminally ill

• Patient requires attention: specifically must be related to a bodily function e.g. breathing, eating, sleeping, walking , sitting, and other daily activities

 

 

 

 

 

Personal independence payment (PIP)

• This has replaced the  DLA as of April 8th 2013

• Individuals can receive from £21-134.40 per week

• The rate is dependent on how the condition affects the individual, not the condition itself

In order for individuals to be eligible for the PIP they must satisfy the following criteria

• Patients must be between 16-64 (working age)

• Chronic condition/disability affects the capability of patients either taking care of themselves/affects mobility

• Must be in GB for claim except in some circumstances e.g. family in Armed forces

• Condition must be present for 3 months and last for a minimum of 9 months

• EXCEPTION: if patient is terminally ill, they are exempt from the 3 month rule

 

Patients satisfying this criteria will recieve what is known as a "Daily living component"

• This is a tax free payment paid on a monthly basis, regardless of whether the individual is/isn’t working

• Patient's daily living is impaired to the extent that they require assistance with

• Preparing/consuming food

• Washing, bathing, using lavatory

• Communication issues : communicating with others

• Dealing with other people

• Dealing with finances  

•  

The Daily living component consists of two parts

• Standard : £53 p/w

• Enhanced: £55.25 p/w  (enhanced payments will be paid to terminally ill patients if they’re not expected to live longer than 6 months)

 

Mobility component: dependant on the individual needs

• Despite the use of mobility aid patient is

• Unable to walk

• Can only walk short distances without severe discomfort

• Patients condition may worsen if they attempt to walk

Patient might also be able to get this support if they:

• Have no feet/legs

• 100% blind or at least 80% deaf  requiring support outdoors

• Require supervision most of the time when walking outdoors

• Severely mentally impaired with SEVERE behavioural issues and the receive the highest rate of care for DLA

 

Employment and support allowance (ESA)

If an individual is ill/disabled: ESA offers:

• financial support if individual is incapable of working

• Personalised help to enable individual to work if they are capable of doing so

• Regular interviews may be required at Jobcentre plus in order to keep receiving ESA

 

Eligibility

In order for individuals to be eligible for the ESA they must satisfy the following criteria

• If patient is disabled /illness affects their ability to work

• State pension age

• Do not receive : statutory sick pay or maternity pay