Benefits

Hi Boobtube the financial challenges of a cancer diagnosis can be hard.

My circumstances were rather different but I will say that the advice I received from our local (hospital) Macmillan/CAB office was spot on.

I had a small work pension as I left my teaching job due to the pressure of the job and my advancing cancer…. I became self employed as I could still do some work.

When I went into full on treatment I called DWP and a very helpful person unofficial advised me to pay my year and half NI contributions…. about £150 (I did not have to pay NI as I was not making enough)…… and this opened the door for Contribution Based ESA on the Support Group……. but I was not able to get anything more due to my pension.

The Macmillan/CAB office also help me get PIP…… PIP lasted for about 3 years….. and due to the effects of my treatment I got ESA until I retired and got my state pension.

Interesting your employer is hinting "when are you coming back, there's loads of work mounting up?"….. this is often the case as they have to pay the SSP …… and they get nothing from the government to support them in doing this 

You say you talked with Macmillan…… was this person an actual Benefits Advisor?

I would call the Macmillan Support Line is open between 8am-8pm (timings may differ across services) 7 days a week on 0808 808 00 00…… and talk with benefits and financial guidance team just to get a different take on your situation.

((hugs))

Hi

Thanks so much for your response, that is very helpful. Yes it was the Macmillan line, but perhaps I'll call back again as the lady I spoke too before I got the diagnosis, and was waiting on the results nervously, was much more helpful.

It's good that you got into the Support Group, was that automatic or did you have to prove endlessly that you were ill? I heard stories that they make it difficult. I have a little in savings, as I was hoping to take a year off to study for a bit, I'm just hoping that I don't have to dip into that, but fear I will. I think ESA is not means-tested so they should account for that. I'll give them another bell though and go to CAB as well.

Thank you so much x

Hi Boobtube 

Due to me having to be treated for my 2 rare T-Cell Non Hodgkin’s Lymphoma’s at the same time my main treatment journey from Oct 2013 to Oct 2015 was anticipated to be rather complicated and challenging (See my story) …… and due to the severity of my treatments the anticipated long lasting post treatment issues I was put straight into the support group.

Apart from filling in the basic information about myself I did not need to fill in the ESA form……. I just needed my CNS to complete the back page and that was it….. this was in 2914……. It was reviewed 2 years later, I turned up to the appointment and after a few questions my ESA was approved until I retired…… and yes it’s not means-tested but is taxable

PIP was more challenging and like 80-90% of applications my claim was rejected….. so I applied and the Macmillan/CAB adviser helped with the appeal, it was approved and backdated to the day I requested the PIP forms sum 7 months before.

Hi Mike, 

Wow! I l have read your story. You are so brave. I love "leave the Body to your Medics and You deal with the battle in the Mind". That is what I must do. Thank you for inspiring me.

On a similar theme, I got a taxi back from the hospital on Tuesday after my "results" meeting, the one where they say "I'm really sorry to tell you have cancer" and you just want to scream. The taxi driver sat in the car driving, all the way to until we were nearly home. My sister and me had been talking about the diagnosis all the way home. He said "excuse me, I don't want to interrupt but have you been told you have cancer?", I said yes, and then he told me that I must not give up, that the medical stuff is a process, but you control the mind. He explained that he knew this because his mum, his aunt and his sister had fought breast cancer (my particular demon) and won. He said, you'll be OK, it's all about mindset. Needless to say, I burst into tears. 

The surgeon keeps saying it's treatable, and on the face of it, breast cancer has one of the highest success rates. But I've not had cancer before, so we'll see how it plays out for me. My dad died, painfully and slowly, only 2 years and 3 months ago of lung cancer. I need to make a new positive cancer story for my family.

I can't believe you had to go to a tribunal for PIP, that is disgusting. The DWP want to take a good hard look at themselves. My treatment will not be complete until next year as I need chemo, radiotherapy, and two operations, and then 10 years of tablets to force my menopause. But I might recover sooner. I'm praying this doesn't go on for years.

Thanks for the clarification on means-testing, this is all new to me. Probably won't have tax to pay, but I'll check it out. I'm speaking to work about how best to do this, maybe let SSP run out and then get ESA. Being poor is all you need on top of this. 

By the way, what did you teach? I'm doing a maths degree at the moment, which could keep me sane, depending on the topic. I've sort of gone off learning about exponential growth at this point. 

You had have one hell of a journey - well done, I take my hat off to you!

Hannah 

Hi Hannah, I taught Construction for 20+ years.

….. your focus us indeed writing a new cancer story for your family….

As you see I like a Nelson Mandela quote….. and the one below us ever so true.

“It always seems impossible until it's done."

Cool, that's sounds great. I'm always envious of construction and engineering people. I think I might get into engineering when I graduate - because, I will be graduating.

One of the worst things to happen to me has happened, it is happening right now, but you know what, I am still here. This world won't get rid of me that easily.

Thanks for your support, enjoying the bank holiday weekend :-)