Pancreatic Cancer
Work, money and benefits
Money can be a source of worry if you become ill. We talked to people who had pancreatic cancer about their experiences of getting support from work, claiming benefits and the extra costs they had because they were unwell.
Getting support from work
Some people told us that their employer had kept paying their wages while they had treatment, so they didn’t need to claim benefits.
David had no financial problems, his 'great employer' continued to pay him when he was sick.
David had no financial problems, his 'great employer' continued to pay him when he was sick.
Michael’s wife was on a ‘very good salary’ so his illness didn’t have a ‘massive’ financial impact. Vicky’s husband worked for a ‘very understanding’ company. His boss gave him time off to go with Vicky to all her hospital appointments. Alison’s husband also worked for a ‘brilliant company’ which allowed him to have as much time off as he needed, so her illness had no financial impact on the family either.
May, a pensioner, said that her illness had caused no financial problem. She said she had managed very well because she was ‘thrifty’.
Sick pay and other benefits
Others were less fortunate. Tony described his employers as a ‘mean company’. He had to manage on Statutory Sick Pay. He knew that this would end soon, and he didn’t know if he could claim other benefits.
Tony's company did not pay him while he was sick. He had to manage on Statutory Sick Pay, which would end, and his old age pension.
Tony's company did not pay him while he was sick. He had to manage on Statutory Sick Pay, which would end, and his old age pension.
William’s employer ‘had not helped him at all’, and he had to apply for a benefit for people with long-term illness or disability. Citizens’ Advice helped him apply for benefits. Others told us they got nurses to help them fill in the long application forms for benefits (also see ‘Support from Nurses’).
William asked someone from the Citizens Advice Bureau to fill in the forms for getting the Disability Living Allowance.
William asked someone from the Citizens Advice Bureau to fill in the forms for getting the Disability Living Allowance.
When Adrian first became ill his GP thought he had irritable bowel syndrome and she wouldn’t sign him off as sick. This meant he couldn’t claim benefits. This was hard because Adrian was in a lot of pain. Doctors then found out that he had pancreatic cancer and he could finally claim illness benefits. He applied for a Macmillan grant and other benefits.
A specialist cancer nurse helped Adrian to claim for a Macmillan grant and for a range of other financial benefits.
A specialist cancer nurse helped Adrian to claim for a Macmillan grant and for a range of other financial benefits.
Donna’s husband had given up his job to care for her when she became ill. Steve and his wife both worked overseas in the same company. When he fell ill she had to give up her job too, so their income dropped suddenly. A Macmillan nurse helped him to apply for benefits (see ‘Support from nurses’).
Some people had thought they were not entitled to certain benefits and so hadn’t applied for them.
If you apply for benefits for long-term sickness, the Government may ask you to go to an assessment, so they can check your health. Fred went to an assessment and was told he was fit to work. The Maggie’s centre helped appeal the decision on his behalf and he was about to go to a tribunal.
Worry about his financial situation and having to appeal to keep his Employment and Support Allowance had been a very negative experience for Fred.
Worry about his financial situation and having to appeal to keep his Employment and Support Allowance had been a very negative experience for Fred.
Ann said her Macmillan nurse had pointed out that she was entitled to immediate benefits such as Attendance Allowance and a blue badge for the car; benefits which might have been delayed many months for someone who did not have a terminal illness.
Extra costs from long-term sickness
Being ill might mean that there are new things that you need and that cost you money.
Helen had an operation for her pancreatic cancer. When she came home to recover, she needed the fire and central heating on all day. This put up the cost of heating the house.
Being unwell meant that Bob couldn’t do jobs around the house, such as decorating and electrical repairs. He had to pay someone else to do these things instead.
Bob was using his savings to cover the extra costs associated with ill health. He said, 'It's much more expensive when you're sick'.
Bob was using his savings to cover the extra costs associated with ill health. He said, 'It's much more expensive when you're sick'.
The cost of going to and from hospital for treatment was another added expense. Petrol was expensive and sometimes people had to take a taxi. Parking at the hospital could cost money unless people had a disabled badge and could find a parking place for disabled people. See transport and travel for more information.
Last reviewed November 2020.
Last updated November 2020.
Next review November 2023.
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