Commons Sense

House of Commons · Ministers' Questions

Terminally Ill People: Welfare Support

Monday 14 September 2020 · 2 questions

Summarised by AI from the official record, so it can contain mistakes.

At a glance

Answered 0 Partly answered 2 Not answered 0

Key points

  • The review of welfare support for terminally ill people involved consultations with organisations and charities.
  • Delays in publishing the findings have been caused by the covid-19 pandemic.
  • The Government is committed to working across departments to improve the system for terminally ill people.

Topics (select to filter)

Questions & Answers

Q1 Cat Smith Lab Lancaster and Wyre
Context

In July 2019, the Department announced a review to assess how well the welfare system supports terminally ill individuals. The review faced delays due to the pandemic.

Question

When will the findings from the Department's review of the welfare support for terminally ill people be published? I have supported constituents with motor neurone disease and seen challenges they face upon receiving a terminal diagnosis. Will the Government avoid replacing the six-month rule with another arbitrary time limit, such as 12 months?

Answer from Justin Tomlinson

The review involved organisations and charities, facing delays due to covid-19. Three themes emerged: changing the six-month rule, improving consistency, and raising awareness of support options. We are working across government to bring forward proposals quickly. The Motor Neurone Disease Association has been central in this process. The Secretary of State and I are committed to delivering an improved system that raises awareness, improves consistency, and tackles issues around the six-month rule.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about avoiding arbitrary time limits was not directly addressed.

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Q2 Cat Smith Lab Lancaster and Wyre
NHS
Context

In July 2019, the Department announced a review to assess how well the welfare system supports terminally ill individuals. The review faced delays due to the pandemic.

Question

Having supported constituents with motor neurone disease, I have seen some of the challenges when facing a terminal diagnosis. Can the Minister reassure me that the Government will not just replace the six-month rule with another arbitrary time limit of, say, 12 months? That would not solve the problem and would create barriers for patients and clinicians.

Answer from Justin Tomlinson

I pay tribute to the Motor Neurone Disease Association, which has been at the heart of this review. The Secretary of State and I are committed to delivering an improved system that raises awareness of support options, improves consistency, and tackles issues around the six-month rule. We are determined to do this as quickly as possible.

Partly answered

Not addressed: The specific ask about avoiding arbitrary time limits was not directly addressed.

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