Having narcolepsy can have a significant impact on your quality of life and may affect your financial situation. Your ability to earn an income may go down because of the effects of your health problems, so it is important to find out if there are any benefits you can apply for that may help improve your financial situation.
IMPORTANT NOTE:
If you would like our help in applying for benefits, PLEASE CONTACT US BEFORE YOU APPLY if at all possible.
It is very difficult for us to assist after an application has been refused and you reach the appeal stage.
Please email your Benefits enquiries to: info@narcolepsy.org.uk
Please do check your junk/spam folders for a reply from us as sometimes the email providers filters do put our reply into your junk/spam folder.
Types of benefits
Benefits that people with narcolepsy living in the UK may be eligible to apply for include the following:
Disability Living Allowance (DLA)
For Children under 16 years of age who live in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Child Disability Payment (CDP)
For Children under 16 years of age who live in Scotland.
Attendance Allowance
For those who are of State Pension age.
Access to Work
For those in work or starting work to support and retain you in the workplace.
ESA (Employment and Support Allowance)
For those over 16 years of age and under State Pension age. You can only do a limited amount of work while you get ESA. Please use this benefits calculator to see if you are eligible.
Universal Credit (UC)
Generally for those over 18 years of age and under State Pension age (although some exceptions for 16/17 year olds). You can check eligibility here.
Personal Independence Payments (PIP)
For those in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who are over 16 years of age and under State Pension age.
PIP is non-means-tested which means you can apply for it even if you work and/or have savings.
PIP is not based on the condition you have, but the effect that condition has on you carrying out certain activities.
Adult Disability Payment (ADP)
For those in Scotland who are over 16 years of age and under State Pension age.
ADP is non-means-tested which means you can apply for it even if you work and/or have savings.
ADP is not based on the condition you have, but the effect that condition has on you carrying out certain activities.
Disabled Students Allowance (DSA)
Scotland: please refer to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS) website here.
England: please refer to the Gov.UK website here.
Wales: please refer to the Student Finance Wales website here.
Northern Ireland: please refer to the Student Finance NI website here.
Other Benefits
Other benefits that people with narcolepsy may be entitled to include free prescriptions, Disabled Person’s Railcard and free bus travel.
To find out more
More details of all these benefits can be found at www.gov.uk/browse/disabilities.
What am I eligible to apply for?
To find out what benefits you may be eligible to apply for, please use the Entitledto benefits calculator – which you can access here.
Enter your personal details and at the end it will tell you which benefits you could be eligible to apply for.
Helpline
To discuss your personal circumstances and entitlement to benefits, please call our helpline on 0345 450 0394 or email us at info@narcolepsy.org.uk