Advice please Cancer

mascotty

Hi,
Am new on here so go gently with me.
I was diagnosed with cancer in 2011 and have had operations and completed my chemotherapy am still not to good regarding the illness but have managed to stay in work, I had a total of 4 weeks off 2 weeks after the Op and then 2 weeks when I had the chemotherapy itself, in this time I had to try and discuss issues with my creditors and although they have been pretty good, I am still in debt, is there a grant or funding where I can claim due to this unfortunate incident, all I need to do is catch up and clear my debts, I am on my own and has cerainly not been an easy ride, I have always worked and do not intend to give up, but there has to be something I can claim for help, SSP was a complete waste of time and got me further into debt. I am currently back in work but have now run out of holidays due to appointments to the Christie in Manchester here I have to have regular check ups.
any help and advice would be appreciated and again I have asked Macmillan but they have come to a blank on this although they have said that there is somewhere but cannot get the information.
Thanks

pmlindyloo

Manchester has a very large CAB with many outreach bureaux. I would suggest that you make an appoinment with them.

They will be able to discuss all the different options available to you.

You could also post on the Debtfree Wannabe forum. (lovely supportive people on there.)

mascotty

will give it a go thank you, need to get some more time off work for this one to, will have to go down as a sicky
Thanks for your advice

Barneysmom

Hi, I'm very suprised the Macmillans were no help, they've been wonderful to us.
Have you applied for the Macmillan grant towards your heating bills and for new clothes? My hubby lost 4 stone when he had his chemo and they gave him £150 for clothes.

Barneysmom

Have you had a look on this site, have a read then phone them when you get a chance xxx

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/grants_search.aspx

You need to find out if you can get some DLA too, and help with a council tax rebate?

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/MoneyTaxAndBenefits/BenefitsTaxCreditsAndOtherSupport/Disabledpeople/DG_10011925

pmlindyloo

mascotty wrote: »

will give it a go thank you, need to get some more time off work for this one to, will have to go down as a sicky
Thanks for your advice

http://www.manchestercab.org.uk/

I believe that they are open on a Saturday!

mascotty

hi guys
Ive approached council for rebate for council tax rebate etc but they have refused as I had gone back to work, I was out of work during the operation and the chemo for approx 1 month in total, I have had to take days off here and there due to the affects of the chemo but had always gone back to work when felt a little better, they refuse to help, they refused when I came out of hospital as I couldnt walk and they wouldnt give me disability or help then. basically they say if you have cancer then tough. harsh but it was words to that effect.....I will contact macmillans again to see if they can help and will check 'turn to us' that site looks interesting.
regards

jetplane

I do not know who you spoke to from macmillan but here is a list of their welfare rights officers around the country.

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/HowWeCanHelp/FinancialSupport/BenefitsAdvisers/MacmillanLocalBenefitsAdvisers.aspx

Now when they say they can not help it is possible that they mean you are not entitled to means tested benefits and you may not be entitled to DLA, not all cancer patients are. The main stumbling block is that to receive DLA you have to have had the care and/or mobility needs for 3 months and will have them for another 6 months.

There are many grades / types of cancer and many cancer sufferers have had their chemo and no longer have care needs within this time requirement. I am not downplaying the diagnosis of cancer I am just stating how the law excludes some cancer survivors.

However this is not to say that they can not help you with a grant or help with re-negotiating your debt.

Good Luck

Edit - also surely your employers should be giving you time off for medical treatment and not having to use your leave?

mascotty

hi Jet
I think that the reason why I am not being helped is that I went straight back to work when I could, ok am a workoholic and I hate house work, work will not let me take the time off unless I request holidays from my entitlement have already had issues with them about it and they aint budging, will again try macmillan, I have to take drugs for the rest of my natural and they keep pulling me down from time to time, I dont want to have to take more time off even though am out of holiday now I have a few more appointments and have told them I am taking these wheather they like it or not, and have stated to them my health comes first now and not the work, didnt like it but tough. it was a major operation and took only 4 weeks off in total.
thanks again for advice I will try them

Barneysmom

They have no right to stop you taking time off for cancer treatment under the Equality Act - scroll down to page 11 here......

http://www.macmillan.org.uk/Documents/GetInvolved/Campaigns/Campaigns/Working_through_cancer/WorkingThroughCancer2010/EqualityAct2010.pdf

Mrs_Ryan

Ive had the same problem - not entitled to anything. I was diagnosed last month and I'm due to have a full hysterectomy tomorrow and possibly followed by radiotherapy. I have worked 6 weeks in the last year due to being ill with complications that we now know is related to cancer.
Macmillan were useless - told me I wasnt entitled to anything and got sniffy when I mentioned DLA even though I've been poorly so long, I wasnt entitled to their grant as OH works full time and they are only allowed to take into account mortgage/rent and council tax as expenses and you are only allowed £100 surplus per month as a couple - we had over 1k after mortgage/CT even though our other expenses cripple us especially now I'm only on half pay so we got told no they couldnt help. I got put in touch with a local advisor who was very good and got very annoyed when I told her about the response I got about DLA and how long I was poorly for but you're right - all you basically get is tough.
PS I hope you have claimed your free prescriptions...