Confirmation Or Advice Please

seroxat_chick

I've been signed off work since the end of June 06, firstly due to my symptoms and currently due to me receiving chemotherapy.

I only work 7.5 hours a week at a local school, and as I understand it, I do not work enough hours to be entitled to SSP, and as I don't pay NI, I am unable to claim IB.

My employers have been paying me my usual wage up until October, when I received 3/4 of my usual wage and November's pay slip showed that I had been paid half. I suspect that December will be the last time I get paid anything at all.

I know that my salary is small to say the least, but it paid for our monthly food bills, and I don't know how we're going to manage in the New Year if I don't receive any money at all.

Please could anybody confirm that my thinking is correct, and/or offer any advice?

Many thanks.

boobless

hi seroxat

firstly and most importantly, i hope you are feeling well and strong.

please believe me i am not prying but some things are relevant to the answer you need, and i understand if you dont want to respond (been there, done it, got t shirt and cd)

are you still having chemo ?

are your employers aware of your current condition and diagnosis ?

do you have a macmillan nurse or backup councillor ?

do you have a partner and or children ?

seroxat_chick

boobless wrote:

hi seroxat

firstly and most importantly, i hope you are feeling well and strong.

please believe me i am not prying but some things are relevant to the answer you need, and i understand if you dont want to respond (been there, done it, got t shirt and cd)

are you still having chemo ? - Yes, I'm due to finish in the middle of Jan.

are your employers aware of your current condition and diagnosis ? - Yes, fully.

do you have a macmillan nurse or backup councillor ? - Yes, there is a specialist nurse available.

do you have a partner and or children ? - Yes, hubby and two children.[/quote]

boobless

hi again seroxat

please speak to your specialist nurse, she will be able to fully advise you and should complete any forms needed.

speak to your employer to get a final wage payment date, from there get your nurse to apply for income support, you wont get ib because of nat insurance credit but you will get some support, if your husband is employed you may get working tax credit/child tax credit. or at least a disability premium short term

if your illness (i assume it is cancer) has left you debilitated in anyway, your specialist nurse (or in my case my consultant) will apply for and supply a detailed report for a claim for disability care allowance, if you apply for special rules this will be given immeadiately ( i hope its not needed)

there are many advisors out there to help you, your chemo day unit should have all necessary forms there as will your specialist/nurse, if you cant find them just contact the macmillan team and they will help, they are fantastic people. you did not say if you will be having surgery?

keep positive

seroxat_chick

Thanks for replying boobless.

I was told at the start of my treatment that most people continue to work through their chemo, but because I work at a school, the risk of picking up an infection was deemed to be too great, which is the only reason I haven't been working.

I won't be having surgery and the cancer hasn't left me debilitated in any way.

I think that maybe I just started to panic as I'd set my heart on returning to work at the start of Feb. and my consultant has just informed me that that was way too soon as I need to build up my immunity again. Just feeling a bit in limbo...

boobless

hi seroxat

limbo land is a horrible place to be.

most people who tell you to carry on as normal during chemo have never had to have it, of course it is possible but no 2 people react to it in the same way, my first course was totally tickety boo, but the following was a nightmare, i didnt start to fire on gas again until about 3 months after. avoiding the risk of infection is paramount because you have no immune system even spending time with someone that has a slight cold can knock you down in a jiffy, i was caught out twice by it, once my daughter had her BCG injection, not knowing that she wasnt supposed to have it because of contact with me, it cost me 3 days in hospital on antibiotic drips, its a case of getting your timing right - would your employers let you go to work after your 10day risk period after each session (sorry i dont know your chemo timings am saying this based on monthly) if this cant be agreed your nurse will definitley be able to point you in the right direction - you say the cancer itself has not left you debilitated but the chemo will have an effect - you must put yourself first and do what feels right for you, if you think you can do it then go ahead, just be aware of what is going on around you (illness wise) getting back in the flow will help your recovery no end.

sorry i have gone on a bit, there is financial help out there for you.