Question to the Department for Work and Pensions:

To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what support her Department has in place for claimants who have a terminal illness but have not declared this at the outset of their universal credit claim.

We take terminal illness very seriously and treat people in such circumstances with the upmost speed and sensitivity. Our process for supporting people who have a terminal illness with a life expectancy of six months or less has been designed specifically to enable decisions to be fast tracked at all stages. Where we receive a correctly completed form DS1500, the decision that a person has limited capability for work and work related activity is normally made within a few days.

The DS1500 is not a claim form and its use in providing evidential support for claims from people who are terminally ill claiming benefit is not obligatory. GPs, Consultants and specialist nurses have direct access to the blank DS1500 report and either send the completed report to DWP or give it to the claimant or their representative.

The special rules applying to people who are terminally ill, including the reasonable expectation of death within 6-month rule, were first introduced in 1990 for Attendance Allowance following a recommendation from the Social Security Advisory Committee. The rules are common to a range of benefits and are also used elsewhere, for example the Early Access to Financial Assistance Scheme, administered by the Pension Protection Fund. The design of Universal Credit for terminally ill claimants is based on this well tested process. This is not a separate entitlement; this is part of the Universal Credit process, and as such we do not hold the requested data. The Universal Credit Programme is considering what management information and data will be published.

The Department and the Universal Credit Programme have regular meetings with key stakeholders to understand how our policies are working and discuss potential areas for improvement. We will continue to keep procedures under review to ensure that they work as effectively as possible.

Universal Credit provides enhanced personalised support. All claimants, including terminally ill patients, receive continuous tailored support managed through personal work coaches, who know each person. Claimants have several options for how they would like to progress their claim, and we will support them in the most sensitive way possible.

For example, if they would rather not continue submitting information online, our Jobcentre staff can either telephone or visit them, to provide support in making their initial claim and completing any other administrative tasks required to ensure that they receive the correct payment. If a claimant does not want to tell us about their condition themselves, then they can appoint a representative, such as a relative, friend, doctor or charitable organisation to let us know on their behalf. We accept information directly from claimant representatives, such as claimant appointees or third party organisations representing the claimant, as well as details supplied to DWP Universal Credit partnership managers or external engagement officials.