21/08/2026
A serious illness can affect every part of life. Alongside hospital appointments and treatment, many people suddenly find themselves facing other worries too: How will I pay my bills if I can't work? What happens if I fall behind on rent? Can I afford the extra costs that come with my condition?
For patients coping with a serious diagnosis, long-term condition or a change in circumstances due to illness, financial worries can quickly become overwhelming. The stress can affect mental wellbeing, family relationships and even recovery itself. Yet many people don't realise they might be entitled to additional support or simply don't know where to begin.
That's where our Hospital-Based Advice Service steps in.
Specialist Welfare Rights Advisers come to the hospital to provide free, confidential advice on benefits, debt, housing and financial wellbeing, helping people navigate complex systems at a time when life already feels uncertain. By working closely with local public health teams, who work to improve the health and wellbeing of communities, and NHS staff, we can offer support at the right time and in the right place, easing financial pressures and improving wellbeing so that patients can focus on their health and recovery.
Since launching in 2022, the service has helped patients, carers and NHS staff secure more than £5 million in financial support, easing financial pressures and giving people the breathing space to focus on their health and recovery.
Behind every pound secured through this advice service is a person finding reassurance, a family gaining more financial stability, or someone able to focus on getting better rather than worrying about how they will cope financially.
This service is made possible with the support of people like you, donate today: https://nhslothiancharity.org/support-us/donate/
