IBS sufferers could claim PIP

Monklands residents living with Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) can claim up to £608 a month from the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).

IBS is a common long-term health condition that affects the digestive system which can cause pain or discomfort in your tummy and a change in your bowel habits.

People can develop IBS at any age, but according to research by Bupa, they usually develop their first symptoms when they are between 20 and 30.

Women are twice as likely as men to report having symptoms of IBS and it’s unusual to get them for the first time after the age of 50.

IBS is usually a life-long condition which can be frustrating to live with and may have a big impact on your everyday life – inside and outside the home.

If this is the case, you may be eligible for a Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and receive financial support.

You do not need to have a carer or have someone helping you to qualify for PIP and you could receive between £23.70 and £152.15 every week – as PIP is paid every four weeks, this amounts to between £94.80 and £608.60 every month.

If you are over 16 and under State

Pension age, you could be eligible for PIP; you don’t need to have worked or paid National Insurance contributions to qualify for PIP, and it does not matter what your income is, if you have any savings or if you’re in or out of work.

The DWP will judge the eligibility of your claim on a 12-month period, looking back three months and forward nine months; they must consider if your illness changes over time.

You usually need to have lived in Scotland for at least two of the last three years and be in the country when you apply; visit https://www.gov.uk/pip/ how-to-claim for details on how to apply.