Can You Claim Benefits If You Are Diabetic?

According to Diabetes UK, there are nearly 4.9 million people in the UK affected by the condition. This is why we aim to learn through this blog post whether you can claim benefits if you have diabetes. For a deeper understanding of the relevant benefits, we will discuss their eligibility criteria and expected payments for claimants. 

Can You Claim Benefits If You Are Diabetic?

Yes, you can claim benefits if you are diabetic. Depending on their condition, some people who are diabetic can claim Personal Independence Payments while parents of children with diabetes may be able to claim Disability Living Allowance.

However, not everyone who is diabetic who takes insulin or any other medication for their condition can claim disability benefits. Eligibility to claim disability benefits for diabetes depends on the level of care an individual needs in managing their daily tasks or if they are taking care of someone faced with the condition.

If an individual is unable to manage their diabetes without insulin or any other medication, their condition will be classed as a disability and they will be able to apply for disability benefits as per the below age-based categorisation: 

• If you are diabetic and older than 16 years of age, you can claim Personal Independence Payment
• If you (or your child) are diabetic and younger than 16 years of age, you can claim Disability Living Allowance

To claim Personal Independence Payment for your condition you should be able to meet the following eligibility criteria: 

• Assessed by a medical practitioner as diabetic 
• Living in England, Wales or Northern Ireland 
• Under State Pension age

It must be noted that if you live in Scotland, you will have to apply for Adult Disability Payment to get financial support when you have a long-term health condition that affects your daily life.

Additionally, if you are above State Pension age, you will need to apply for Attendance Allowance instead of Personal Independence Payment or Adult Disability Payment; depending on which part of the UK you reside in.

In certain cases and depending on the impact of their health condition as a result of diabetes, some individuals may also be to claim these additional benefits:

• Pension Credit; if you have care needs due to a health condition
• Carer’s Allowance for people taking care of someone with a health condition or disability
• Universal Credit; if you are out of work or on a low income due to a health condition or disability
• Employment and Support Allowance for people who are unable to perform work-related tasks due to their condition
• Housing Benefit for people who need help with housing costs due to low income or savings (or both) 

How Do You Claim Personal Independence Payment If You Are Diabetic?

To be eligible for PIP, the applicant should be able to meet these conditions:

• aged 16 years or above 
• having a long-term physical or mental health condition or disability
• facing difficulty doing certain routine tasks or moving around
• the difficulties are expected to last for at least 12 months from the day they started

To apply for PIP, you can call the PIP helpline at Telephone: 0800 917 2222 or send a letter to PIP new claims at the following address to ask for the application form:

Personal Independence Payment New Claims

Post Handling Site B

Wolverhampton

WV99 1AH

Based on your application and the evidence you provide, the Department for Work and Pension will conduct a health assessment to confirm your ability to perform everyday tasks to assess your physical ability and mobility:

• whether you can perform daily tasks independently and safely
• the amount of time it takes you to complete daily living tasks
• how frequently and to what extent does your health condition affect your ability to perform basic tasks
• whether you need assistance in performing daily tasks or moving around (this can include help from a person or using extra equipment

How Much Can You Claim With Personal Independence Payment If You Are Diabetic?

The amount that you can claim with Personal Independence Payment will depend on:

• how easy or difficult do you find it to perform daily living tasks such as taking care of yourself, managing your medicines, making decisions regarding money matters or even socialising

• how easy or difficult do you find it to move around independently such as following a route, physically moving around or being able to leave the house

You can expect payments to be between £61.85 and £92.40 for the Daily Living Part and between £24.45 and £64.50 for the Mobility Part.

While it may take a few weeks until your form is processed and a healthcare professional visits you for an assessment. Once the process is complete and your claim is approved, payments will be made every 4 weeks. 

How Do You Claim Disability Living Allowance If Your Child Is Diabetic?

To claim Disability Living Allowance, a child should be able to meet the below eligibility criteria:

• be under 16 years of age
• living in England, Wales, a European Economic Area (EEA) country or Switzerland
• lived in the UK Great Britain for a minimum period of 6 of the recent 1 year (this applies to a child above 3 years of age)
• be a habitual resident of the UK, Ireland, Isle of Man or the Channel Islands
• should not be subject to immigration control
• require additional care or have walking difficulties

When applying for DLA for a child, it is advisable to wait for at least three months after your child has been diagnosed with Diabetes. You will find help from Disability Living Allowance for a child under 16 booklet available for guidance.

You can either apply for DLA using the DLA1 Child (ALT) claim form online or call the Disability Living Allowance helpline at 0800 121 4600 and ask for a printed form. Once you’ve filled out the form and added the relevant supportive evidence, you can post it to Freepost DWP DLA Child.

DLA claims for children can either be made by their parents, step-parents, guardians, grandparents, foster parents or older brothers or sisters.

How Much Can You Claim With Disability Living Allowance If Your Child Is Diabetic?

The Disability Living Allowance for a child under 16 years of age is currently between £24.45 and £156.90; depending on the level of care the child needs. The Care Component and corresponding weekly payments for DLA can be classified as follows:

• The lowest rate for some help during the day entitles you to £24.45 per week
• The middle rate for frequent help or constant supervision during the day; along with regular supervision during the night or the need for someone to help while the child is on dialysis entitles you to £61.85 per week
• The highest rate for constant assistance or supervision throughout both day and night, or a statement by a medical professional that says that the patient may have 6 months or less to live entitles claimants to £92.40 per week

Payments are made every 4 weeks on a Tuesday, into a bank account, building society account or credit union account.

Conclusion:

With nearly 32,100 diabetic patients claiming financial support in the UK, it may be safe to conclude that depending on the severity of one’s condition, children and adults faced with diabetes may be able to claim welfare benefits. Key benefits that you may be able to claim in such cases are Disability Living Allowance for children who are 16 years old or younger and Personal Independence Payment for diabetic patients aged between 16 years and State Pension age.

FAQs: Can You Claim Benefits If You Are Diabetic?

What benefits are diabetics entitled to in the UK?

Depending on the severity of their condition and its impact on the claimant’s income, diabetics may be entitled to the following benefits in the UK:

• Disability Living Allowance
• Personal Independence Payment
• Attendance Allowance
• Employment and Support Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Housing Benefit

Is diabetes classed as a disability in the UK?

Yes, as per the Equality Act 2010 Type 1, diabetes is classed as a disability in the UK. While some patients may not consider themselves disabled due to diabetes, their inclusion in the Equality Act protects them from discrimination at school or work.

Can I claim PIP for diabetes?

Yes, you can claim PIP for diabetes if you are between 16 years of age and State Pension age, you are diagnosed with diabetes (either type) and your condition prevents you from performing everyday tasks or moving around without support.

Do diabetics get free NHS dental treatment?

Yes, in nearly all cases, diabetics can get free NHS dental treatment whether they have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.

Do diabetics get free glasses?

Not everyone with diabetes can get free glasses if they have diabetes. If you are diabetic and 16 or 17 years old, you can avail of optical vouchers. These vouchers can be used to pay for the cost of glasses.

References:

Diabetes and benefits.

Can you claim disability benefits if you have diabetes? | Patient

Diabetes and Benefits – Financial Entitlements and Benefits

Disability Allowance for children with Type 1 diabetes

Claim PIP for diabetes and you could get up to £608 every month from the DWP – Daily Record