Living donors Claiming your expenses Information for patients Sheffield Kidney Institute (Renal Unit)
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This booklet explains how you can claim for your expenses if you are being tested to be a living kidney donor. If I am having tests to be a kidney donor what expenses can I claim for? It may be possible to claim for the following: Loss of earnings Travel expenses Hospital car parking Other expenses for example child care will be considered Can I claim loss of earnings if I am in employment? In some cases, your employer may support you in being a donor and pay you in full while you are off sick. If this is the case, you cannot claim for loss of earnings. It may be that: You receive full pay at first but after a few weeks only receive statutory sick pay or Only get statuary sick pay If this is the case, it may be possible to pay you the difference between what you get paid during your time off sick and your basic pay. Would loss of overtime be paid? Overtime payments would be considered if they are a regular part of your income. page 3 of 8
What happens if I am self-employed? If you are self-employed you can claim for loss of earnings. Proof of your gross income will be needed (for example, a copy of the income and expenses page of your tax return). Any payments that you do get are liable for tax and should be declared on tax earnings. What happens if I am not employed? You can make a claim for your personal expenses and any benefits you may lose while you are unfit to work. What documents will I need to send with my claim? 3 months pay slips from before your operation. These should be originals and not photocopies. Employer's letter stating level of financial support during the period off work or payslips that show how much you have been paid while you have been off sick. If you are self-employed your most recent statement of earnings from the tax office or a letter from your accountant. Travel documents Rail, bus tickets etc Car park tickets Mileage. The amount you can claim depends on: Number of appointments you have attended Distance travelled (The Living Donor Coordinator will discuss this with you in more detail) Completed and signed claim form page 4 of 8
What is the maximum I can claim for? In the majority of cases, a maximum of 5000 can be claimed, although each claim will be assessed individually. When can I submit my claim? The claim can be submitted: once your operation date has been set or you can wait until you are back at work or you are told that you are not suitable to be a living donor. All claims must be submitted within 4 weeks of your last appointment or being told you are fit to return to work. If you claim before your operation and your period of sickness is longer than the claim time, you can make another claim which will be considered. When will I be paid my expenses? Whenever you make your claim, you will only be paid your expenses once you have had the operation. It can take about 6 weeks to be paid your expenses. Can my recipient pay my expenses? No. Your recipient or their family cannot pay your expenses as this may be seen as an incentive to donate and this is illegal in the UK. page 5 of 8
How will the claim be paid? You will receive a cheque in the post. Can I make a claim if I am an overseas donor? Yes, claims will be considered from overseas donors for example cost of flights and loss of earnings. In some cases reasonable accommodation costs may be claimed. Again, any claims must be made within four weeks as above. We can also help you with getting a visa for the operation to be a living donor. Where do I get the claim form? You will be given a claim form by the Living Donor Co-ordinator at the start of the tests. If you have any questions or need help to fill in the form, the Living Donor Transplant Co-ordinator can be contacted on: 0114 271 5983 9.00am and 5.00pm (Monday - Friday) There is a voicemail where you can leave a message at other times page 6 of 8
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Produced with support from Sheffield Hospitals Charity Working hard to fund improvements that make life better for patients and their families Please donate to help us do more www.sheffieldhospitalscharity.org.uk Registered Charity No 1059043 organdonation.nhs.uk Alternative formats may be available on request. Please email: alternativeformats@sth.nhs.uk Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust 2015 Re-use of all or any part of this document is governed by copyright and the Re-use of Public Sector Information Regulations 2005 SI 2005 No.1515. Information on re-use can be obtained from the Information Governance Department, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals. Email infogov@sth.nhs.uk PD6900-PIL2374 v2 Issue Date: June 2015. Review Date: June 2017