Epilepsy Leadership Council
Q. What benefits am I entitled to if I have epilepsy?
You may be entitled to benefits, depending on how your epilepsy affects you. This might include Employment and Support Allowance (ESA), Personal Independence Payment (PIP), Universal Credit and Attendance Allowance. You will need to meet certain requirements in order to qualify for these benefits.
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Q. Does epilepsy qualify for disability?
Adults with epilepsy may be eligible for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI, for those who paid taxes into the Social Security system) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI, for low-income people). To qualify for either SSI or SSDI, epileptic seizures have to occur regularly (see below).
- Aicardi Syndrome Foundation.
- American Clinical Neurophysiology Society (ACNS)
- American Epilepsy Society (AES)
- Batten Disease Support and Research Association.
- Bow Foundation.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- Chelsea’s Hope Lafora Children Research Fund.
- Child Neurology Foundation.
Q. Is epilepsy a physical or mental disability?
Epilepsy News From: Epilepsy is not a mental illness. In fact, the vast majority of people living with epilepsy have no cognitive or psychological problem. For the most part, psychological issues in epilepsy are limited to people with severe and uncontrolled epilepsy.
Q. Does epilepsy cause brain damage?
Prolonged seizures are clearly capable of injuring the brain. Isolated, brief seizures are likely to cause negative changes in brain function and possibly loss of specific brain cells.
Q. Do seizures destroy brain cells?
Seizures are caused by a sudden surge of abnormal electrical activity in the brain that can affect the way a person appears or acts for a short time. Seizures (both repetitive and brief seizures) can kill brain cells (neurons).
