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Macmillan and Cancerbackup have merged. Together we provide free, high quality information for all.
How we produce our information|
You may need to take time off work during your treatment and for a while afterwards. It can be hard to judge the best time to go back to work and your decision if and when to go back is likely to depend mainly on the type of work you do and how much your income is affected. It is important to do what is right for you.
Getting back into your normal routine can be very helpful and you may want to go back to work as soon as possible. Many people find that going back to work as soon as they feel strong enough gives them a chance to forget their worries, as they become involved with their job and colleagues again. It can be helpful to talk to your employer about the situation – you may be able to work part-time or job share.
On the other hand it can take a long time to recover fully from treatment for cancer, and it may be many months before you feel ready to return to work. It is important not to feel pressurised into taking on too much, too soon.
Your consultant, GP or specialist nurse can help you decide when and if you should go back to work. If you have a disability caused by the cancer, your employer can get specialist help to enable you to work.
Our section on work and cancer| gives information about employment rights, disability rights and financial issues for people with cancer.
After having treatment for cancer, it can be more difficult to get life insurance and travel insurance. To find life insurance it is helpful to contact an Independent Financial Advisor (IFA), who can find the best deal for your particular situation.
You can find a local IFA by referral from family or friends, looking in your phone book, or by contacting The Personal Finance Society| or Independent Financial Advisers Promotions Ltd|.
We have a section about travel and cancer| which includes a list of travel insurance companies| who offer insurance to people with medical conditions including cancer.
If you are employed and unable to work, your employer can pay you Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) for a maximum of 28 weeks.
If you are still unable to work after this period, you may be able to claim Incapacity Benefit. There are three rates of Incapacity Benefit: a short-term lower rate, a short-term higher rate and a long-term rate.
You can claim the short-term higher rate of benefit from the Benefits Agency if you have paid the correct level of National Insurance contributions. If you are still unable to work after one year, you can claim long-term Incapacity Benefit.
If you are self-employed you are entitled to the same benefits as long as you have been paying the correct National Insurance contributions. People who are unemployed and unable to work cannot claim Job Seeker’s Allowance but can apply to see if they qualify for the short-term lower rate of Incapacity Benefit.
People who are not eligible for Incapacity Benefit because they have not paid the relevant National Insurance contributions may qualify for Income Support.
If you are ill and not able to work, remember to ask your GP for a medical certificate for the period of your illness. If you are in hospital, ask your doctor or nurse for a certificate to cover the time that you are an inpatient. This will be necessary if you need to claim a benefit. You may need to take a medical test to see if you are eligible to claim.
You may qualify for Disability Living Allowance (if you are under 65) or for Attendance Allowance (if you are over 65). Ask your local Social Security office for claim forms. There is a fast-track claim for people who may not live longer than six months. People who are claiming under this ‘special rule’ need to get their doctor to complete a form for either benefit. It is impossible to tell exactly how long someone may live and many people with advanced cancer may be entitled to this benefit, so it can be helpful to check with your doctor. Special rules payments of AA and the DLA care component are made for a fixed period of three years.
You may also be able to get tax credits from the Inland Revenue such as Child Tax Credit and Working Tax Credit. You can get information about these from a social worker, Citizens Advice Bureau, the Department for Work and Pensions or the Tax credits Helpline (0845 300 3900).
The Benefits Agency has two booklets (IB1 and SD1) which outline all these benefits and others you may be entitled to. You can get a copy from your local Citizens Advice Bureau or Social Security office, where staff will also be able to advise you about the benefits you can claim. You will usually need to make an appointment. Their addresses and telephone numbers are in the phone book. You can also get information from the Benefit Enquiry Line| (0800 882200) or the Department for Work and Pensions website at www.dwp.gov.uk|
The social worker at the hospital can give you advice on sources of financial help. You may also be able to claim grants and benefits from other organisations or charities. Macmillan Cancer Support| gives grants to people with cancer and has a financial advice helpline. They produce a booklet called Help With the Cost of Cancer. A book that gives details of all the trusts and organisations that provide financial support is available from bookshops or local libraries. It is called A Guide to Grants for Individuals in Need.
If you have been assessed as having a need for social services, you may be entitled to get direct payments from your local authority. This means that you are given payments to organise social services yourself, rather than the local social services organising and paying for them for you. You can get information about direct payments from the Department of Health website at www.dh.gov.uk| or from your local social security office.
If you are on a low income you may be entitled to help with NHS costs including travel expenses for hospital treatment, prescriptions and wigs. You can get more information from your local Social Security office, the Benefit Enquiry Line (0800 882200) or the Department of Work and Pensions website at www.dwp.gov.uk| The booklet HC11, Are You Entitled to Help With Health Costs?, is available from post offices and social security offices.
Unfortunately, cancer itself does not entitle you to free prescriptions once you have left hospital, but you may be eligible for other reasons. You are automatically entitled to free prescriptions, and do not have to pay other NHS costs, if you:
People who live in Wales have free prescriptions.
Many people who are prescribed chemotherapy as tablets or capsules to take at home will have to pay for their prescriptions unless they are exempt for the reasons given above. If you are not automatically entitled to free prescriptions, but are on a low income you can apply on the Low-income Scheme claim form HC1 for a certificate for free services or reduced costs (available from Social Security offices and NHS hospitals, some GPs, dentists and the Health Literature Line on 0800 555 777).
If you need more than five prescription items in four months, or more than 14 items in one year, you can cut costs by buying a pre-payment certificate for four months or a year. You can get a claim form (FP95) from your GP, your health authority or main post offices. Ring 0845 850 0030 to buy a pre-payment certificate over the phone using your credit or debit card.
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If you have any questions about cancer, need support or just want someone to talk to, ask Macmillan.
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