What benefits can I claim when I'm living with a terminal illness?

If you have a terminal illness, you may need extra help with finances. Having an illness or health condition may affect your work or the work of people who support you. You may have extra costs for things like getting around, clothes, heating or food. We know working out which benefits are available can be confusing. This page explains what you might be able to get and where to get more information.

There is no specific ‘terminally ill benefit’ or ‘end of life benefit’. But you may be able to get some benefits because you have an illness or a health condition. These include Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Employment Support Allowance (ESA), Attendance Allowance and other benefits. We have a full list in the next section, Benefits for people with a terminal illness.

You may be able to receive these benefits faster and at a higher rate because you have a terminal or life-limiting illness (see the section Special rules for terminal illness below).

If you have an illness or health condition, you may be able to get disability and sickness benefits. These benefits are for people with cancer, dementia, motor neurone disease (MND), heart failure and any other illness or condition. People do not have to have a terminal illness to apply for these benefits. The application looks at how the disability or illness affects you and what support you need.

You may also be able to get benefits for people with limited income or savings. Each benefit has its own rules about who can get it. We have not included all of the eligibility rules on this page. You can find out more by clicking on each benefit or contacting the free Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309 or support@mariecurie.org.uk.

Personal Independence Payment (PIP) (GOV.UK) if:

Adult Disability Payment (mygov.scot) if:

New Style Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) (GOV.UK) if:

Universal Credit (GOV.UK) if:

Attendance Allowance (GOV.UK) if:

Pension Age Disability Payment (mygov.scot) if:

Pension Credit (GOV.UK) if:

Most of these benefits are not affected by any other income or savings you have (except Universal Credit). So, you can still apply for benefits even if you have income or savings.

You may be able to get more than one benefit at once.

There is sometimes a limit to the overall amount you can get from benefits – this is called the benefit cap. But you may not be affected by the benefit cap. For example, you are not usually affected if you get benefits because you have an illness or a disability. You can find out more before you apply for benefits.

You may be receiving benefits that people can no longer apply for because they have been changed, such as Disability Living Allowance for Adults. You can see if you can also apply for other benefits (see How to apply for benefits below).

There are other benefits that children aged under 16 with a disability or terminal illnesses can apply for. Visit the relevant government websites for more information (see Government websites below).

We know that it can be difficult to work out what benefits you, or someone you know, may be eligible for. You can contact the free Marie Curie Support Line for general information about benefits on 0800 090 2309 or email support@mariecurie.org.uk. There are other organisations you can get support from (see How to apply for benefits below).

If you have a terminal illness you might be able to apply for some benefits under the ‘special rules for end of life’ or ‘special rules for terminal illness’. The special rules mean that your claim could be looked at more quickly (fast-tracked) and paid at a higher rate.

Generally, a terminal illness is any illness that cannot be cured and is likely to lead to someone’s death. Examples of terminal illnesses include advanced cancer, dementia, motor neurone disease (MND) or advanced heart disease.

The definition is sometimes different when you’re applying for benefits. The criteria for applying under the special rules depends on which benefit you’re applying for.

For many benefits, your healthcare professional needs to confirm that they think you might have less than 12 months to live. This definition applies if you’re applying for or claiming:

For some benefits in Scotland, the definition of terminal illness is different. Your illness must be expected to cause your death, but a healthcare professional does not need to say how long they think you might live for. This definition includes Adult Disability Payment and Pension Age Disability Payment.

It's often very difficult to predict how long someone might live for. Your doctor or nurse may not have talked to you about how long you might live. You can still ask them about supporting your claim under the special rules.

You need to apply for the benefit itself.

And, you need to ask a healthcare professional to complete a form to support your application for benefits under the special rules. There are different forms depending on which benefit you’re applying for, and where you live. We have more information on the form they need to complete on our website page about special rules.

If you already get benefits, you may be able to get these paid at a higher rate. You can report a change in circumstances to the government department that organises your benefits. And, you need to ask a healthcare professional to fill out the form.

There are benefits that a family member or friend can get if they support you. This includes:

Their claim for carer benefits could affect your benefits. So, it’s important to get advice before they make a claim (see How to apply for benefits below).

You may be able to get other financial support:

You can check what you can get on the relevant government website and apply (see Government websites below). You can also use our benefits calculator to see what you might be eligible for.

If you’re applying under the special rules, you’ll need to apply for the benefit as well as asking a healthcare professional to send the relevant form. When you apply for the benefit, say that you’re claiming under the special rules. If you’ve already applied for benefits, contact the department to let them know.

It can help to get more advice about your specific circumstances and what you need to apply. If you already get some benefits, it’s important to check what effect any new claims will have on your existing benefits. Here are some organisations that can provide further support:

It can also help to talk to your local hospice or hospital, who may have someone who can support you with your finances.

The free Marie Curie Support Line can provide general information about different benefits and support with energy bills. You can contact us on 0800 090 2309 or email support@mariecurie.org.uk.

Our Support Line staff are not trained benefits advisers. We cannot provide information about your specific benefit claim. For all queries about claims, you'll need to contact the relevant government department.

And, we cannot provide advice about whether applying for a benefit will affect your existing benefits. It’s best to speak to a specialist benefits adviser (see More information and advice above).