I was under the impression, whatever job you are in you have a year on full pay due to it being cancer. My work have started deducting money if you are off more than once within a 12 month period, unless it is cancer related. Very annoying as I know have to fight it every time 
have you spoken to your boss or hr about it?
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Hi @sprout78 Sounds fantastic to get a full year of full pay. Sadly i think most enployers are not that generous. Teachers are lucky with 100 days full pay and 100 half, but your deal sounds brilliant. Good luck with your treatment. X
Hi @goodfriend …me too. I’m a year in to treatment now. About to have 4th operation and radiotherapy. It’ll be 18months by the time i go back to school i think. X
Thank you @NikiR. That’s really helpful. I reckon the ssp ends in 3rd week of feb and my 100 days full will end shortly before. With at least 3 months more of treatment, i should just manage. I’ll look into ESA on monday. Hope you’re well now x
No, I thought that was law. We have the usual 6 months for other stuff. All depends on circumstances I believe. I haven’t taken time off except for treatment, was able to do light duties during chemo. Obviously it all depends on what job you do x
I work in local government and have the same arrangement I think, The statutory sick pay is included and yes you will have to have the usual deductions but they will be pro so half the previous rate.
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Links that may be helpful
Employment and Support Allowance (ESA) my oncology team signed an ESA application for 1 year to allow for being immune suppressed. Contribution based or means tested income based.
Personal Independence Allowance (PIP) used to be Disability Living Allowance for long term physical or mental health that will last at least 12 months ( we are Disabled under the Equality Act 2010) There are 2 levels, living costs and mobility. I was able to claim living costs. It’s a long form and the more detail the better to explain the extra problems you are having. This is not means tested and can be paid on top of salary or benefits.
Hope this helps. Always worth a try, they can say no but you can appeal. I was advised by Citizens Advice it’s quite common for them to reject your claim but CA can help you appeal.
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Hi.
I am not a teacher but was scared of the fall in pay after the set 6 mths of my employer. I tried to go back to work after 2 surgeries before 3rd being mastectomy & diep surgery. Tried to keep count of my days & so far not needed any off whilst having radiotherapy but I am doing reduced hrs till end of Jan to help with this. Wish you all the best with Diep. Don’t push yourself on this tough one xx
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Thanks @naughty_boob. I think i should try for ESA as that is based on NI contributions and I’ve always worked.
Hope you’re doing well. X
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Thanks @kaz3531. I didn’t work during chemo although I was well enough on third week of each cycle. I have asked my boss if there is any work I can do from home during my recovery from diep but only if I’m paid for this.
Hope you are well now x
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A bit late replying, but it’s worth speaking to your HR about whether you can return to school between treatments even if it’s during the holidays, as if you’re in the next April-April year your sick pay allowancewill reset.
I was lucky(?) that I was initially off work from February last year until the summer having chemotherapy (100 days full pay on the 2023-24 allowance). As I didn’t have a date for surgery at that point I returned to work on the last day of the summer term. I then received full pay over the summer holidays and then was off work again on full pay from the end of August (now on the 2024/25 allowance) when I had my surgery and radiotherapy until now when I’m just starting my phased return.
As the holidays don’t count in the 100 days it may be worth asking HR if they can return you to work inbetween treatments to help out a bit financially? I’m a single mum so it has been an absolute godsend to be able to be off for all of my treatment this past year and not be worrying about money.
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Thank you @averley2024. Thats useful to know. You really were lucky with your timings!
I’ve now had 4 surgeries, the latest was just last week (mastectomy and diep reconstruction) and will have radiotherapy soon. I’m on half pay now. Its a struggle.
I hope to go back to school around the end of Easter. Theoretically, i shouldn’t need time off again in this school year, unless its for something other than cancer. Does this mean my sick pay will reset?
May i also ask, what does your phased return look like? I’m anxious about returning to the chalkface bald…do you wear a wig or scarf? I havent got on with wigs but could do scarves. I have lots of new hair coming now.
Thank you and i hope all goes well with your return to school.
Four surgeries sounds like a lot, I hope you’re doing ok? If you’re a week out I imagine you’re still really sore. Radiotherapy made me really tired and I’ve got issues with my arm/shoulder stiffening up so starting physio next week, but otherwise feeling mostly recovered and ready to try and get back to normal.
Your sick pay allowance will reset in April, so once you’re back at work then if you then need to take more time off it’s back to 100 days at full pay. So I guess it’s good for peace of mind if your return is a struggle and you do need to be off again for anything.
I’m wearing a wig - the NHS one I got through my hospital is amazing and whilst not super comfortable all day long I like not having an outward sign of being sick. I’m hoping to be able to ditch the wigs by September and just have a short hair cut but with the chemo curls it’s rather wild at the moment!
My school does a standard phased return of 4 weeks but for me they’re doing it over 6 weeks (full pay) and they can extend it if needed. My worst ongoing issues are fatigue, pain and stamina. I’m doing two part days the week before half term and then planning on adding on another day each week. I’m secondary so I’m picking up A-Level classes to start with and my HOD and headteacher have said that it’s all going to be at my pace. I think I’ll be in school full time hours by the end of 6 weeks but not necessarily teaching a full timetable - I’ve suggested picking up more ‘office based’ tasks such as marking/planning whilst I get used to being back at work.
My school have been so good throughout the past year and my department are lovely, but I’m definitely feeling anxious about trying to get back to normal when I don’t feel like the same me that I was before.
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Also, ask your oncologist when your radiotherapy is due to start. I know I had a delay of about 10 weeks after surgery so it may work out that you could return to work just for a ‘keeping in touch’ day before Easter and then restart your sick pay after it resets in April? It’s worth asking?
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Thank you again @averley2024. Yes it is hard to go back knowing we’ve changed sp much. I’m glad your school have been so good. I’m primary and I’m sure they will have me back fulltime in a class at the earliest opportunity. I’m not ready for that yet. Hope all goes well and smoothly xxx
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I’ve worked in primary for 20 years and as soon as you return to work it’s expected you will be 100%, it’s just how schools work! But remember you are covered under the Equality Act 2010 and should be considered for reasonable adjustments. I would ask for an Occupational Health referral to work out a phased return to work so that you are not overloaded.
You’ve been through so much, you need to be eased back in
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When it does come to time for your phased return make sure you don’t downplay how you’re feeling. Just because you might look fine doesn’t mean you’re ready to go back to normal. I have days where I feel good and yet yesterday I had a three hour nap at 10am.
You could always request just mornings or afternoons to start with so you have a chance for a slower start in the morning or a rest/nap in the afternoon if you need it. The goal will be to help you back to work and keep you in work, so rushing you back before you’re ready won’t help you or them. And definitely ask for any reasonable adjustments that would make things easier for you.
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Being expected to be back 100% is my worry. But it does seem so far like my school are actually genuine when they say I can take things at my own pace. We’ll see how that’s going once I’m back🤷🏼♀️
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@naughty_boob thank you. My lovely head teacher has already said she’d involve Occupational health and my phased return is likely to last 6 weeks. I said to my husband I’d prefer to start with afternoons as then i won’t get dragged into doing things at lunchtime. But i know it’d be more useful for school if i was there in the morning. Im weeks away ftom returning anyway, but its playing on my mind.
@averley2024 sounds like your school is bring brilliant. Just take it slowly…like you say, having cancer changes us, but also stamina is likely to take a while to return. I’m going to ask to avoid having respinsibility for a class for more than half a day until september. I’m also going to ask if from September I can have a different year group. I don’t think this will be possible but we shall see. Good luck x
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I understand your concern and yes I would think they would prefer mornings but you have to do what is right for you and as @averley2024 you may feel ok then not. But you won’t know until you return.
Let us know how you get on when you do. We’ll be here for moral support.
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