Terminal cancer patient gets first welfare cash

Terminally ill Hikurangi man Graham Cochrane received his first sickness benefit payment yesterday _ more than two months after he was diagnosed with cancer.
Mr Cochrane was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer on April 21 and along with his wife, Joy, has had to wait nearly two months to receive a sickness benefit payment because of a Work and Income stand-down period.
In the meantime, the couple have been trying to survive on a $175-a-week supplementary benefit.
Originally the couple had been told they would have to wait until August 4 for the sickness benefit, but that date has since been bought forward twice, and Mr Cochrane received a part-payment yesterday. They will receive a full payment of $411 next week.
Mrs Cochrane said the start-date was bought forward after her husband's Work and Income file had been sent to Wellington.
However, they will still have to pay back the money received from the supplementary benefit.
As a former bulldozer driver, Mr Cochrane has been classified as a high-income worker, even though his wages vary from season to season.
Before he left his job he was earning up to $1000 a week but, at other times of the year, he was was lucky to earn $350 a week. He spent his last pay packet on bills, which included specialist visits.
Mr Cochrane underwent surgery about a fortnight ago to remove his left lung and is to undergo further tests to find the extent of the cancer.
"We're glad we'll be getting our first pay next week," she said.
"It's a bit extra and helps a little bit more."
The couple planned to use the money to pay bills and buy groceries.
Work and Income Northland regional operations manager Graham MacPherson said he was pleased Mr Cochrane's benefit start date was revised to June 29. The payment was received yesterday because benefits are paid a week in arrears.
"We were able to reduce Mr Cochrane's stand-down period twice, first following a change in legislation on May 1 which allowed us to calculate his previous earnings differently," Mr MacPherson said.
"We then received further information about his earnings from his employers, and this allowed us to make a different determination of his stand-down period which was again in Mr Cochrane's favour."