Liver transplant

Zitawarrior
Zitawarrior Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
in Benefits and income
I was diagnosed with liver failure in March 2019. In September I started claiming PIP with higher rate care and mobility and ESA under terminal illness and topped up with UC. I was lucky enough to finally undergo a transplant in June 2020. I am now 6 weeks post op and recovering but there is a long way to go and I will be on meds including immunosuppressants for the rest of my life. Could anyone help me with what I am entitled to claim going forward? I anticipate returning to employment just not sure when I may be fit enough to do so. 
Thanks in advance for any help. 

Comments

  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    HI and welcome,

    Good to hear that everything went well with the op.

    At the moment the only other benefit that you maybe entitled to is Council tax reduction if you either rent your home or own it. Other than that you're claiming everything you're entitled to.
  • Cher_Alumni
    Cher_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 5,714 Championing
    Hello @Zitawarrior and a big warm welcome to our community!  

    I am glad you found us and @poppy123456 was able to give you advice regarding benefits.  Does that help?  

    You will definitely need time off to rest and recover so one step at a time before thinking about returning to work.  Your health comes first and you have been through a lot.  How are you today?
  • Zitawarrior
    Zitawarrior Online Community Member Posts: 2 Listener
    Morning and thank you. 
    I was so ill before the op and feel so much better already than I did. So grateful for what I have received ?
    I live with my two sons who are 19 and 21. Youngest has registered as my carer as I was so ill and oldest is employed and pays board each month. 
    I will look into Council Tax but found it so stressful last year as they reduced my payment but then put it right back up. I had letters virtually every week with adjustments and just couldn’t budget around it. 
    I was worrying about how the situation had changed now I have had a transplant ... is there an accepted recovery time where the benefits can stay as is? With my recovery and the fact I have to shield now until at least Christmas because of Covid and my compromised immunity I really don’t know when I will be able to look for work again. 
    Thank you 
  • poppy123456
    poppy123456 Online Community Member Posts: 64,463 Championing
    It's great to hear that you're feeling so much better now.

    All changes should be reported but please also remember that PIP isn't about a diagnosis, It's how your conditions affect your ability to carry out daily acticvity based on the PIP descriptors. Although you were awarded based on the terminal illness 6 month rule.

    As it's only been 6 weeks since your op and they do state change of condition must have been present for at least 3 months. Once you reach 3 months then i'd advise you to have a look at the PIP descriptors to see if your condition inproving will affect the award that you currently have. If it does then you will need to report those changes. Remember also the reliablity criteria and the 50% rule. So if you can't do something reliably, regularly, then you can't do that acitivity at all. You must also need to be affected for at least 50% of the time over a 12 month period.

    For ESA then it's about your ability to do any type of work and i would think you will be fine with this. Although when you are reviewed again next time then you may have to go through the process with an assessment. Hope this helps. ,
  • Chloe_Alumni
    Chloe_Alumni Scope alumni Posts: 10,506 Championing
    Welcome to the community @Zitawarrior! Great to have you with us. :)

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