Financial Concerns
Paying the mortgage, affording heating bills or understanding employment rights can be a real worry for some people with cancer. We’ve provided some useful information for anyone who is concerned about their finances or employment rights.
Video Resources...
Getting back to work after cancer (podcast)
Richard Hunt, Vocational Rehabilitation Case Manager, reads this podcast from The Christie NHS Foundation Trust, offering help and advice on getting back to work following cancer treatment.
Money and cancer – Shola’s story
Shola was diagnosed with thymus cancer. Going through treatment meant that she couldn’t work and as a result, she struggled to pay her bills. Listen to her story to find out what help she was able to access.
Online Resources...
Citizens Advice
CAB provides free, independent and impartial advice to anyone on issues including housing, debt management and employment rights. Find your local office using the locator on the website.
Macmillan financial support tool
A one stop shop for resources related to financial concerns. Includes handy tools such as a budget calculator and online benefits checkers to find out what you may be entitled to.
Bills and Housing Costs
You may be able to get help with bills and housing costs. This could include rent or mortgage payments, council tax and home adaptations.
Working with cancer
Working With Cancer is an organisation that helps people affected by cancer to return to work. It also helps employers to respond to and support any employee who is diagnosed with cancer. Please see their website for more information.
Legal rights about work and cancer
In England, Scotland and Wales, employees with cancer are protected from discrimination in the workplace by the Equality Act. Macmillan has provided some useful information about legal rights in relation to work and cancer.
Advice Local
Your local guide to help with benefits, work, money, housing problems and more. To get started, enter a postcode and choose an advice topic to find links to tailored information for your area.
ACAS
Advice for employees and employers on managing holiday entitlement, sickness absence and other leave.
Cancer Research UK
You might earn less when having cancer because you have to work fewer hours or stop working. You might also have extra expenses, such as heating costs. There are government benefits that you might qualify for if you have cancer or care for someone with cancer. Working out which benefits you can apply for can be difficult. And applying for them can be time consuming. But there are people who can advise you about your financial situation and help you apply for benefits.
Money and Pensions Service
We help people – particularly those most in need – to improve their financial wellbeing and build a better, more confident future. Working collaboratively across the UK, we make sure customers can access high-quality money and pensions guidance and debt advice throughout their lives, how and when they need it.
Mind
Poor mental health can make earning and managing money harder. And worrying about money can make your mental health worse. It can start to feel like a vicious cycle. Here, you can find out more about organising your finances, claiming benefits when you have a mental health problem, dealing with services, and looking after your mental health when you’re worried about money.
Mental Health UK
Money and mental health - a dedicated Mental Health and Money Advice service to help people to better understand and manage their financial and mental wellbeing.
Rethink
The Rethink Mental Illness advice and information service offers practical advice on a wide range of topics such as The Mental Health Act, social care, welfare benefits and carers rights. We also offer general information on living with mental illness, medication and care.
Cancer Care Map
To find other services or support on this topic, visit Cancer Care Map and enter your postcode to find what is available near you.