One of the problems we had with Melissa's illness was accessing the correct financial support.  Advice differed from county to county and most information has to be looked for, it doesn't come to you. 

After Melissa had decided to suspend her studies for a year to recover from lymphatic cancer, we discovered that she wasn't entitled to any form of financial support.  She did not qualify for Income Support (now employment support allowance) because she was still classed as a student and therefore had a student loan.  She hadn't drawn on her loan, but that didn't matter.   Disability Living Allowance could not be claimed for three months, her condition ongoing for three months  and it would take three months to process.  Incapacity Benefit could not be claimed for six months as Melissa hadn't paid enough into the system. 

So, we had a twenty year old adult, with cancer, and no money whatsoever.  I decided to fight to change this law, despite MPs telling me that she should take out a loan whilst recovering from cancer, or abandon her course, because if she did that she would then be entitled to Employment Support Allowance.   I had partial success.  The ruling that assumes a student who suspends their studies has a student loan has been removed, but there was still a clause that said to qualify for Employment Support Allowance, a student must be in receipt of Disability Living Allowance.  This is despite the fact that most students at the time would not qualify for Disability Living Allowance because the new criteria was so harsh.   

My battle with the government goes on.  They have all said it is wrong how students in this situation are treated, but as usual, they do very little about it.  They talk a good game, but that is all they do.  Incredibly, if Melissa had spat in the face of her lecturer or daubed graffiti over the college walls and been thrown off her course, she would have received Employment Support Allowance straight away.  But because she was battling cancer, she received nothing. Well, that's not strictly true.  In February 2008, six months after she was diagnosed she received Disability Living Allowance and Incapacity Benefit.  She received these because she was so ill, she fitted the criteria.  She died three months later.  We gave her all the money she needed during her illness and but for grants from CLIC Sargent and MacMillan, we may well have gone under financially. 

In February 2013 I received a letter via my MP from Iain Duncan Smith to say that the Department of Work and Pensions were looking in to this and that there may be a way to address it.  If there is something to address, that says there is a problem.  Over two and a half years later, I am still waiting.  I wrote to my MP in February for an update.  I am still waiting.  I still receive emails from students in similar positions.  They are still waiting.  I wrote to Mr Cameron in 2009 and he told me, "The Conservative party are committed to helping the most vulnerable in society" Guess what Mr Cameron?  I'm still waiting!!!
It is a disgrace and it needs addressing.