Access to benefits

Access to disability benefits can be difficult for patients with ME/CFS, even though many countries including the US and United Kingdom, accept ME/CFS claims for sickness or disability payments. This difficulty is due to a range of factors including discrimination, poor understanding by medical professionals and the public, and the fluctuating nature of the condition.

UK

 * A 2015 report by Action for ME found that despite 97% of patients experiencing difficulty with two or more daily activities listed in the Care Act 2014 for England, only 16% had received social care assessments, and only 6% had been awarded a care package.
 * "Barriers to self-referral and fair assessment included:
 * lack of clear information about social care process and entitlements (58% of respondents)
 * cognitive and communication difficulties preventing engagement with social care processes (47% of respondents)
 * social care processes ill-adjusted to the very poor stamina of people with M.E./CFS
 * misunderstanding, misinformation and stigma surrounding the label of M.E./CFS acted as a deterrent to asking for help for 38% of respondents and was also perceived to impact on the fairness of assessments and the type of support provided."

US
The United States has Social Security Insurance/Social Security Disability (SSI/SSD). Long Term Disability (LTD) is available through private insurance companies and many businesses offer this insurance to their employees.

Please Note: The following is NOT legal advice and it should not be relied upon in taking steps for a disability case. Only the Social Security Administration (SSA) and a disability lawyer can provide the most up to date and the correct legal avenue for bringing a disability case.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5puJl5Ndt-g

Learn more

 * The Sleepy Girl Guide To Social Security Disability (U.S.)
 * Victory For ME Disability Claim – U.S. Court Upholds Plaintiff's Lawsuit After Being Denied Disability
 * Brian Vastag, who was originally denied disability benefits, was able to prove his post-exertional malaise (PEM) was a severe symptom causing disability with a Two-day cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET). qEEG and cognitive tests revealed he had "significant problems with visual perception and analysis, scanning speed, attention, visual motor coordination, motor and mental speed, memory, and verbal fluency."