its my cancer!

Hi Colin, glad to see you are maintaining a sense of humour despite the trauma. Cant Macmillan offer any advice on benefits  or an advice centre ??  The DWP wont give you any, they are useless. I ended up in a similar position, benefits stopped, wife having to support me etc. Luckily I had wound my business up 4 years previous, I was a newsagent. I would have gone 'belly up' if I hadn't. I had lung cancer surgery 3 years ago, so far so good but recently had to have a colonoscopy [suspected bowel cancer].  Luckily it was only benign polyps causing the problem and they were removed. i wish you the best of luck, and hope some help is out there somewhere.

Take care mate,  Bill

keep your chin up hun once you get your plan of treatment from the onc you can apply for dla meantime im sure you can claim esa if you want to private message me i will tell you what i applied for keep the humour its helped me and the people on this site are so fabulous without them dont know what id have done love and hugs jen xxxx

Hi Colin,

There is no such thing as, if your going to get Cancer then thats the best type to get. Cancer is Cancer and its not

the best type of disease you can get. At least you have the

sense to see that.  I wish you well with your treatment and may all the results of scans etc. Be Good ones.

All the best and good luck. Sarsfield.

Hi Colin,

Try to block out the idiot comments. On some planet people try to be comforting, but don't realise what they are actually saying.

Re. benefits - you should probably give citizens advice a call. You can apply for Employment and Support Allowance (think this is new name for incapacity benefit) although the payment is not much at all - also you need to make sure you have less than £16k in the bank...

Disability Living Allowance is another one - look it up online - but this one is all about needing help with daily life - maybe one to complete when treatment is started?

Council Tax Benefit is another one, but again it is means tested and if you have more than £16k then don't bother.

You can also apply to get help with health travel costs.

These are the benefits that I know of - the hospital may offer you a social worker who could help you out with all of this.

I have just re-read what I have written and it doesn't sound very upbeat - but I suppose I just feel that for hardworking people who manage to save, the benefit system doesn't exactly provide adequate support in times of need (in my opinion).

Goodluck and take care of yourself

x

Hi Colin, re the above. I got ESA paid at first, no means testing at all. I have more than £16000 [after working a business for 14 years, 7 days a week with no holidays then I should have]. It was only when the DWP tried to put me on Job Seekers Allowance that the means tested part came up. I HAD A JOB !! My employer was keeping it open for me but the evil DWP would have none of it. Finished up telling them to stick their measly £64 a week where the sun dont shine. Despite appeals I couldn't get a penny, even though the tribunal judge agreed with me and said the DWP were an evil lot and a law unto themselves. I was able to return to work pqrt time on light duties and am still on that. At 62 years old, after radical surgery and the added blessing of arthritis I will never be fit enough to work as I did again.

                           Dont listen to the idiots comments, as Sarsfield said, there aint no good cancer, only bad. Mine was lung cancer and I even had idiots inferring that I deserved it 'cos I smoked !!!  They are no longer my friends anymore..................their time will come.

                              Try and keep smiling, despite the troubles and tribulations, you will win in the end. There is light at the end of the tunnel.

Keep fighting and kick ass at the DWP whenever possible. It does them good !!  Take care mate, Bill