17/09/2012
Government Relaxes Plan To Force Cancer Patients To Look For Work
A controversial government plan to force people receiving treatment for cancer to actively seek work as a condition of receiving sickness benefits has been “toned down”.
The concessions announced by ministers today came after intense lobbying by cancer charities.
There had also been indications from the government that they would seek to make changes after they suffered humiliating defeats in the Lords on the issue during the passage of the welfare reform bill in January.
The changes will also delay the financial impact of reforms on many people undergoing some forms of chemotherapy for cancer. These patients stood to lose up to £94 a week employment and support allowance (ESA) after a year, despite still receiving medical treatment, or recovering from it.
Although the ESA time limit is still in place, the 12-month cut-off point for financial support for cancer patients will now start only when they have finished and fully recovered from their treatment, rather than when they start it.
The benefit process will also be simplified, with cancer patients now asked to go through a "light touch" application process for ESA in which they will have to supply a GP's report in receipt of their claim rather than having to go through a potentially stressful back-to-work test conducted by Atos.
The decision was welcomed by Macmillan Cancer Support, which had argued that the plans would have a "catastrophic" effect on cancer patients and their families and push many into financial crisis.
(H)
The concessions announced by ministers today came after intense lobbying by cancer charities.
There had also been indications from the government that they would seek to make changes after they suffered humiliating defeats in the Lords on the issue during the passage of the welfare reform bill in January.
The changes will also delay the financial impact of reforms on many people undergoing some forms of chemotherapy for cancer. These patients stood to lose up to £94 a week employment and support allowance (ESA) after a year, despite still receiving medical treatment, or recovering from it.
Although the ESA time limit is still in place, the 12-month cut-off point for financial support for cancer patients will now start only when they have finished and fully recovered from their treatment, rather than when they start it.
The benefit process will also be simplified, with cancer patients now asked to go through a "light touch" application process for ESA in which they will have to supply a GP's report in receipt of their claim rather than having to go through a potentially stressful back-to-work test conducted by Atos.
The decision was welcomed by Macmillan Cancer Support, which had argued that the plans would have a "catastrophic" effect on cancer patients and their families and push many into financial crisis.
(H)
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Charities call for more lung cancer scanners
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Charities call for more lung cancer scanners
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30 Women Recalled For Breast Screening Over Doctor Concerns
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30 Women Recalled For Breast Screening Over Doctor Concerns
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Northern Ireland WeatherToday:A sunny but frosty start for many. However cloud increases by midday with a few showers reaching the north coast, these mostly light but spreading inland this afternoon. Chilly. Maximum temperature 8 °C.Tonight:A rather cloudy evening with scattered showers. Becoming drier through the night with some good clear spells developing and a patchy frost away from coasts. Minimum temperature 0 °C.
