Cancer Care: Top Tips For Employers And Staff

Macmillan Cancer Support and the CIPD, the human resources body, have offered Sky News advice this World Cancer Day for employees and employers respectively on how each should react following the dreaded diagnosis:

Macmillan’s Top Tips For Employees

:: Check your benefit entitlements

If you are too ill to work, you may be entitled to contractual or statutory sick pay from your employer, otherwise you may be eligible to claim Employment and Support Allowance.

People may also qualify for help with daily living through Attendance Allowance, the Personal Independence Payment and Carers Allowance is available to some people unable to work due to caring for someone affected by cancer. Other benefits can help pay towards some costs such as rent, mortgage and council tax. 

:: Contact your energy provider

Many cancer patients are more prone to feeling the cold.  It is important to check with your energy provider whether you might be eligible for their cheaper ‘social tariff’.

:: Get help with travel and parking costs

For many patients, having cancer means lengthy daily treatment and/or multiple hospital visits. Macmillan found that the cost of travel to and from appointments averages about £170 a month while parking costs add about £37 per month.

Those on a low income or certain benefits might be entitled to have their travel costs reimbursed, you can ask your hospital about this and possible lift schemes. Most car parking in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is free for cancer patients.

:: Apply for free prescriptions

All UK cancer patients are entitled to free prescriptions.

:: Apply for a grant

If you have cancer and are struggling financially, there may be additional support available to you from some of the grant-giving charities.

:: Check your financial products and services

If your cancer means that you need to take some time off work, it may be worth speaking to your bank or mortgage lender to discuss whether they are able to offer you options such as reduced payments or a repayment holiday. It is also important to check whether you have any insurance policies.

CIPD’s Top Tips For Employers:

:: Understand your obligations

Fewer than 70% of employers have a critical illness policy meaning many employees will not be aware of their rights, which leaves employers open to discrimination and poor management.

:: Fair treatment policies

Anyone with cancer is protected from discrimination in the workplace on the basis of their condition from the point of diagnosis and so are employees who have caring responsibilities for someone with cancer.

Employers have a duty to provide reasonable adjustments to prevent people with cancer – and carers – being disadvantaged.

Working flexibly, changes to their duties, or adaptations to their physical working environment should all be considered alongside support – demanded by law – including sick leave and pay arrangements and access to occupational health services.

A key area is also the need for managers to agree with employees what information on their condition – if any – they want colleagues to know.

:: Be Sensitive

Much of this is common sense, recognising that what suits one individual will not suit another.

Managers need to be equipped with the knowledge to enable them to respond appropriately and support people with cancer in a way that suits them and maximises their chances of making a full recovery – and returning to work if that is what they want.