Benefits & Financial Support
Being diagnosed with cancer and coping with cancer treatment can be a really difficult time. It can affect work, your income and cause additional expense.
Many people have visited the Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre, seeking help and advice about financial support and welfare benefits. Staff and volunteers at the Centre will signpost you to organisations that will be able to give you specialist help and advice, including details of any assessments or eligibility criteria that you may need to meet.
The websites and organisations mentioned on this page will give you general advice and support as well as detailing how they can help you and what additional information you will need to supply.
If you are struggling financially, or need help or support with welfare benefits or blue badge applications, please contact the Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre and we can make a referral to a local Macmillan Welfare Benefits Service.
We have also created a helpful guide for Winter help and energy savings support, please click here to access.
Click on the video below to hear from cancer patients who obtained benefits and financial help and advice from Macmillan Cancer Services and how this helped them.
This page is split into three sections and organisations are listed alphabetically within each section.
BENEFITS ADVICE
Age UK
Provides independent, impartial and expert information for those receiving a state pension on a variety of topics including benefits, legal advice, heating costs etc. Services either via telephone, their website or face-to-face in local communities.
National Tel: 0800 678 1602
Website: www.ageuk.org.uk
Click here to access the Age UK ‘benefits and entitlements for pensioners’ webpage.
Citizens Advice
Through a network of independent charities, they offer confidential, independent and impartial advice, online, over the phone and in person, for free.
National advice line: 03444 111 444
Website: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
There are branches in Colchester, Maldon and Tendring (Clacton & Harwich), but to find further details on your nearest branch, click here.
Colchester Borough Council (including the library and community hub - Colchester Borough residents only)
General Colchester housing benefit and council tax office advice line:
Tel: 01206 282600
Website: colchester.gov.uk/housing-benefit-local-council-tax-support
Email : benefits@colchester.gov.uk
If help is specifically required with Universal Credit it is suggested you contact Jobcentre Plus.
Address: 40 Chapel St South, Colchester CO2 7AZ
Tel: 0800 169 0190.
Essex Outreach Support (via Peabody)
Offers a short-term support service to people over the age of 16, living within the Essex area who are experiencing a range of problems that are impacting their health, financial and housing wellbeing.
Tel: 0800 28 888 83
Email: efsco-ordinator@peabody.org.uk
Website: www.peabody.org.uk
GP Care Advisors
Care advisors are based at your GP surgery and can offer advice on benefits. Their role is to facilitate people to access social care, welfare benefits and self-help support to help them maintain their independence at home. Please contact your local GP surgery.
If it is not possible to visit or telephone your local surgery, GP Care Advisors can arrange to visit you at home. If you are struggling to contact your GP Care Adviser, please do give the Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre a ring (if you live in the Colchester/Tendring area) as we are able to make a referral to GP Care Advisers on your behalf.
Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre Tel: 01206 745347
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan’s National Support Line Service offers support with accessing benefits and other financial advice as well as emotional and practical support.
Tel: 0808 808 0000
Website : macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/benefits-and-financial-support
Macmillan Grant
This help is for people with cancer who need a small one-off grant to help with the extra costs that living with cancer can bring i.e. help with additional energy bills, cost of travel to and from hospital or needing extra clothing due to weight loss or gain.
The quickest way to find out more about the Grant, to establish whether you meet the eligibility criteria and to make an application, we suggest you contact the main Macmillan Cancer Support helpline number (noted above). Staff/volunteers at the Cancer Wellbeing and Information Centre can also make an application on your behalf, but this process usually takes longer than contacting Macmillan direct.
For further information visit macmillan.org.uk
Claiming benefits if you are terminally ill
If you are terminally ill (that is not expected to live more than 6 months) then please mention this and Macmillan will try to ensure that your claim is dealt with as efficiently and as sensitively as possible.
Signpost (Tendring)
Registered charity providing a range of free services with the aim of helping people find employment – this includes supported internet access for benefit applications. They have branches in Colchester and Jaywick.
Tel: 01206 861800 (Colchester)
Tel: 01255 688 683 (Jaywick)
Website: sign-post.info
Email: info@sign-post.info
Turn2us
Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through partner organisations.
Website: turn2us.org.uk
UK Government
Personal Independence Payment (aged 16 to pensions age)
Personal Independence Payment (PIP) can help you with some of the extra costs if you have a long term ill-health or disability. The amount you get depends on how your condition affects you, not the condition itself and the minimum/maximum benefit levels set by the Government. You’ll be assessed by a health professional to work out the level of help you can get. Your rate will be regularly reviewed to make sure you’re getting the right support.
Your carer could also get Carer’s Allowance (see below) if you have substantial caring needs.
UK Government webpage: www.gov.uk/pip
Attendance Allowance (over pension age)
This benefit is to help with the extra costs of living with a long term health condition or disability, Check out the eligibility for applying; neither of these two benefits are means tested and you can still claim if you are working or not, it does not affect your savings, and both are tax free. There are different levels of payment depending on how your condition affects you.
Website: www.gov.uk/attendance-allowance
Needing to take sick leave from work?
If you are employed by someone and need to take time off sick, you may be able to claim Statutory Sick Pay (SSP). This will be arranged by your employer. If you are self employed you are not entitled to sick pay, but might be able to apply for other benefits if your income and savings are low. Click the links below to find out more.
Employment and Support Allowance
If you are looking after someone who has a lot of care needs you may be entitled to claim. You need to be over 16 and caring for someone at least 35 hrs a week. The person you care for must be in receipt of certain benefits. To be a carer you don’t have to be related or living with the person and you can be still doing some paid work but under a certain limit.
Website: www.gov.uk/carers-allowance
Is paid to someone whose wife, husband or civil partner has died and needs to be claimed for within 3 months after the death.
Website: www.gov.uk/bereavement-support-payment
You might be entitled if you are on a low income, are responsible for paying rent and have under a set amount of savings. You might be able to get support with mortgage interest payment or help with service charges of you are in receipt of certain benefits.
Website: www.gov.uk/housing-benefit
Grants for housing repairs or adaptations
You may be able to help with a grant if you need to repair, improve or adapt your home for health reasons.
DEBT ADVICE SERVICES
Christians Against Poverty
Helps people find a practical, lasting solution to debt and poverty via a network of local Christian churches.
Tel: 01274 760720
Website: www.capuk.org
Email: info@capuk.org
Debt Advice Foundation
An independent charity dedicated to providing free debt advice by phone and online to people across the UK.
Tel: 0808 808 4000
Website: www.debtadvicefoundation.org
Payplan
Free debt help and advice to people struggling with multiple debts. They provide debt solutions and advice allowing people to take control of their finances.
Tel: 0800 280 2816
Website: www.payplan.com
Step Change
Free, confidential and expert debt advice online or over the phone. Advice is based on a comprehensive assessment of your situation with practical help and support for however long it’s needed.
Tel: 0800 138 1111
Website: www.stepchange.org
Email: (online form to complete) www.stepchange.org/send-us-an-email.aspx
The Money Advice Service
Free and impartial money advice, set up by the government. They provide advice and guides to help improve your finances, tools and calculators to help keep track and plan ahead and support over the phone and online.
Tel: 0800 138 1677
Website: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en
Email: enquiries@maps.org.uk
The Salvation Army (debt advice and emergency assistance)
They help people manage what they owe and work alongside them to make a realistic plan for repaying their debts. This free debt advice service can contact creditors on a person’s behalf to explore and negotiate options like repayment holidays and more realistic repayment plans. As well as helping people who are experiencing homelessness, they support families who have hit hard times, people who have been made redundant, become ill or are experiencing benefit delay.
The Salvation Army also offers emergency assistance to people in need (meal vouchers/food parcels).
Tel: (020) 7367 4500
Website: www.salvationarmy.org.uk/poverty
Email: info@salvationarmy.org.uk
OTHER FINANCIAL AND BENEFITS SUPPORT AND ADVICE
Carers UK
A telephone advice and support service, online forum and factsheets and guides for carers.
Tel: 0808 808 7777
Website: www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice/financial-support
Essex Connects (online only)
An online forum to find local activities and to help you to get in touch with hundreds of local charities, voluntary groups, and community sector services, based in Braintree, Chelmsford, Colchester, Tendring, Maldon, Uttlesford, Epping, Harlow, Basildon, Billericay and Wickford.
Website: www.essexconnects.org.uk
Food Banks
Foodbanks give free food to people who are struggling financially. Visit the Trussell Trust to find a foodbank near you.
Tel: 01722 580 180
Website: www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank
Email: enquiries@trusselltrust.org
Free prescriptions for people with cancer
If you have received a cancer diagnosis, you are entitled to free prescriptions. You will need to apply via an exemption form; this can be supplied to you by your GP or the Oncology department. It will require an official signature. The certificate lasts for five years and can be renewed if you are still eligible.
If you are over 60 or in receipt of certain benefits you may not need to apply as you might already receive free prescriptions.
Housing and Homelessness
If you are living in Essex and you are worried about being made homeless or need further advice the organisations below may be able to help. If you are the person with cancer then please make them aware of your health needs.
Hope House Essex | Breaking the cycle of homelessness
Homelessness: get advice and support - Essex County Council
Independent Age
An older people’s independent charity offering regular friendly contact provides you and your family with clear, free and impartial advice on the issues such as care and support, money and benefits, health and mobility via, advice, factsheets and/or regular telephone calls.
Tel: 0800 319 6789
Website: www.independentage.org
Email: advice@independentage.org
Living Well Essex (online only)
The website (Essex County Council in partnership with Healthwatch Essex) aims to help Essex people take care of their health and well-being, manage health conditions, and find information about support and services in the local area. They also provide information on benefits and finances, staying safe, and tips on staying healthy and active.
Website: www.essex.gov.uk/topic/adult-social-care-and-health
Scope
Scope are a disability equality charity. They provide practical advice and emotional support (including benefits and financial advice) via their helpline, our online community, a range of employment and child sleep services, community engagement programmes, and more. All of their services are developed to achieve their strategy; Everyday Equality.
Tel: 0808 800 3333
Website: www.scope.org.uk
Email: helpline@scope.org.uk
Tendring Mental Health Hub
A community clothing shop that offers a drop-in service for support with physical and mental health including; loneliness and isolation, housing problems, money worries and debit and welfare benefits advice. It was launched by the Tendring branch of the Citizens Advice Bureau in 2015 with support from Active Essex, Essex County Council, Essex’s Police and Crime Commissioner and Tendring District Council (TDC).
Address: 148 - 150 Old Road, CLACTON-ON-SEA, CO15 3BA
Tel: 01255 377080 ext 101