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Kerry Bolton Oliver, a mother from Solihull, shared her financial struggles after her son, 16-year-old Oliver, had to undergo a leg amputation due to a rare type of cancer. She mentioned that waiting for benefits to cover the additional living costs took a toll on their finances. Traveling to the hospital, buying new clothes to fit Oliver after the amputation, and increased electricity bills to charge his prosthetic leg contributed to their financial burden.
Similarly, Danielle Roberts from North Wales recounted the financial strain she faced when her nine-year-old daughter Jasmine was diagnosed with cancer. She emphasized the impact of long car journeys for treatment, extra food costs, accommodation expenses, and the challenge of taking time off work to care for Jasmine while dealing with the financial implications. Waiting for eight months before receiving any benefits added to the pressure of the situation.
Young Lives vs Cancer highlighted the immediate need for families of children and young patients battling cancer to have access to financial support for extra living costs. The charity emphasized the lengthy application process for benefits, which can exacerbate the financial burden on families already dealing with a challenging situation. Simplifying and expediting the application process using medical evidence alone was suggested as a way to provide faster assistance to families in need.
Acknowledging the struggles faced by families in accessing financial support during challenging times, the Department for Work and Pensions expressed a commitment to ensuring timely access to benefits such as Personal Independence Payment and Disability Living Allowance for children. Despite efforts to increase staff and respond to the rise in claim volumes, the department recognized that waits for benefits are still too high, impacting families who are already under immense stress caring for their sick children
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