Long Covid sufferers ‘should have fair access to benefits’

Cllr Gareth Wilson has written to the Personal Independence Payment manager for NI Brian Cullen to urge for preparations to be made to fully gauge and understand the potential impact of Long Covid and access to benefits for sufferers.

He said the lengthy recovery for some people with particularly serious Covid implications was concerning and it was vital that access to benefits such as PIP was an open avenue with a “realistic” chance of success.

He said, “It is very clear that Covid19 is having a very negative impact on sufferers and people are reporting longer term complications with little improvement over many months. That is a huge concern going forward.

“People in this position must be able to have fair access to the benefits system as a means of financial support in what is a very difficult time of uncertainty about when their symptoms will improve.

“I have taken the opportunity to raise this matter with the PIP manager in Belfast to urge proper recognition of this issue and ensure that anyone accessing PIP in their ‘Long Covid’ condition is assured of a fair hearing and support when it is needed most.

“I look forward to Mr Cullen’s response and I know that there will be many people throughout Northern Ireland who will have went from being in work and healthy to facing a much tougher set of circumstances recovering from what is being recognised as ‘Long Covid’. These people need to be supported in their recovery.”

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