The Government understands that people across the UK and especially the most vulnerable members of society, such as those suffering from long-term health conditions and disabilities, are worried about the rising cost of living. That is why the Government is taking decisive action to get households through this winter and the next, while ensuring we act in a fiscally responsible way.<\/p>
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Depending on their specific circumstances, it is possible that people with multiple sclerosis will qualify for disability benefits. People in receipt of extra-costs disability benefits such as Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Disability Living Allowance (DLA) will receive a one-off Disability Cost of Living Payment of £150 from 20th September, to help with the extra costs disabled people are facing. The DWP has already processed around 6 million such payments.<\/p>
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The Government is also providing a £650 Cost of Living Payment to recipients of means-tested benefits, to support people with low incomes with the rising cost of living. Individuals in receipt of means-tested disability benefits, such as income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or the Universal Credit Health top up are eligible for this support.<\/p>
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Those suffering from sickle cell disease may also benefit from other forms of non-means tested support which the Government is providing to assist with UK households\u2019 energy bills. The Energy Price Guarantee is a scheme that will cap the unit price households pay for electricity and gas, which means that a typical household in Great Britain will have to pay bills equivalent to no more than £2500 a year on their energy bills this winter. This will support people with a disability who may need to use more energy due to their condition or treatment.<\/p>
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Secondly via the Energy Bills Support Scheme, which will provide £400 to help with domestic energy bills. All households in Council Tax bands A-D will also receive the Government-funded £150 Council Tax Rebate, which will be delivered by Local Authorities.<\/p>
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Lastly, to support households who need further help or who are not eligible for elements of the wider package of support, the Government is also providing an extra £500 million of local support to help with the cost of essentials, via the Household Support Fund.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2022-10-19", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2022-10-19T16:57:02.9Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "14"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Treasury"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2022-10-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Sickle Cell Diseases: Government Assistance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, whether he has had discussions with Cabinet colleagues on making an assessment of the adequacy of Government support for (a) fuel and (b) other costs for people with sickle cell disease during winter 2022.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4698", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Janet Daby"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Janet Daby"} ], "uin" : "59240"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1386976", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1386976/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
To increase the volume of diagnostic activity, including blood tests, we have committed £2.3 billion in capital funding for diagnostics over the next three years. This will fund the launch of at least 100 community diagnostic centres by 2024/25, to tackle the backlog of patients waiting for clinical tests.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-12-16", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-12-16T13:07:38.947Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-12-10", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Blood Tests: Finance"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what additional support he will provide to NHS trusts on blood testing services.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4698", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Janet Daby"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Janet Daby"} ], "uin" : "90944"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1351181", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1351181/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Government invests in health research through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and the Medical Research Council (MRC), through UK Research and Innovation. The NIHR and MRC both welcome high-quality applications for research into all aspects of myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), otherwise known as chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS). No assessment has been made of the merits of increasing funding for research into ME/CFS. While it is not usual practice for the NIHR and MRC to ring-fence funds for particular topics or conditions, the MRC has had a cross-board highlight notice on CFS/ME open since 2003.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4362", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Edward Argar"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Charnwood"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Edward Argar"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2021-09-06", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2021-09-06T11:52:14.71Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "17"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Health and Social Care"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2021-08-18", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Research"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made a recent assessment of the potential merits of increasing funding for research into ME and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4698", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Janet Daby"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Lewisham East"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Janet Daby"} ], "uin" : "41247"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1145724", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Department of Health and Social Care"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1145724/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
The Department wants to reassure patients we are doing everything necessary to make sure they can access the medicines and medical products they need after the United Kingdom leaves the European Union on 31 October, whatever the circumstances.<\/p>
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The Department, in consultation with the devolved administrations, has been working with trade bodies, product suppliers, and the health and care system in England to make detailed plans that should ensure continuation of the supply of medicines to the whole of the UK and its Crown Dependencies.<\/p>
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On 26 June, we wrote to suppliers of medicines to the UK from or via the EU or European Economic Area setting out our continuing multi-layered approach to support continuity of supply of medicines and medical products from 31 October.<\/p>
Further details can be found at the following link:<\/p>