End of Life Care

End of life care helps all those with advanced, progressive, incurable illness to live as well as possible until they die. It enables the supportive and palliative care needs of both patient and family to be identified and met throughout the last phase of life and into bereavement.

Here at Wirral University Teaching Hospital we are committed to achieving our vision of providing the best possible care for people at the end of their lives.

Please see the 'Related Links' to the left for information about some of the support we provide.

DS1500

DS1500 needs to be completed by a doctor or specialist nurse to support a claim for an application under ‘special rules’ and forwarded to the Department of Work & Pensions (DWP).

Special rules is a term used by DWP  to indicate that prognosis may be short (approximately 6-12 months) as a result of health issues such as advanced cancer, end- stage neurological disease, end stage heart failure, end stage respiratory disease, dementia, frailty. 

Under special rules, a patient can claim for a benefit (in this case Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or Attendance Allowance) immediately, without the need for a physical assessment. This is quite a significant amount of money (£139 pw if under 65 and £82 pw if over 65) that is non means tested and can make a real difference to patient in the last months of life. The application cannot be back dated and applies from when the application is made.

The following documents are available to view or download below.

• PIP supporting letter
• DLA supporting letter born before 8th April 1948 
• AA supporting letter 
• Claiming Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance under ‘Special Rules’ (DS1500) leaflet
• Claiming Benefits Under Special Rules(DS1500 process)