Jaya was referred to us by one of the cancer nurses at PAH to help her with some income.

Client profile: 

Jaya is a single woman who had been a live in carer for over five years.  She has a flat in another part of the country but was staying with the person she was caring for in Essex when she first got diagnosed with cancer.  The person she was caring for kindly offered to allow her to stay there for the duration of her treatment, and although she wasn’t being paid during sickness, she was going to be given free accommodation. 

Reason client needs advice: 

Jaya was referred to us by one of the cancer nurses at PAH to help her with some income, as she wouldn’t be able to work, earn income and afford living during her treatment. She was very worried about being able to afford rent and her status of accommodation. The Macmillan Caseworker took the case and supported her until she had dealt with all of the issues. 

What we have done to help the client: 

When the caseworker started supporting Jaya, she was eligible for a Macmillan grant of £350 and it was organised very quickly – the turnaround was about one week which was massively helpful to people with cancer facing the extra costs for cancer – new clothes, travel to and from hospital multiple times. Unfortunately, this grant is no longer available for any cancer patients since 31/3/2025. 

The caseworker then helped Jaya to apply for new-style ESA (Employment Support Allowance), a contribution-based benefit, as she had worked all of her life and paid the NI contributions. Unfortunately, this was around the time she had chemotherapy every three weeks.  Some people really suffer side-effects from this harsh but necessary treatment and Jaya had almost continuous admissions into hospital for complications and secondary effects – the chemotherapy reduces your immunity. 

The caseworker tried to contact Jaya multiple times to assist but as she was so ill, and had no money for her mobile phone, she couldn’t reach her. During that time her new-style ESA claim came to a stop as she was not able to have the conversation with her Work Coach that they require, and not able to return her ESA50 form.  At the start of benefit claims there is onus on the applicant to perform several tasks, and some people are too unwell.  Unfortunately then, we did not have her authority to act on her behalf with the DWP (Department for Work and Pensions). 

Jaya eventually regained some energy and contacted the caseworker directly many weeks later, an advantage the Macmillan project offers.  She was now out of hospital and had started a Universal Credit (UC) claim, but the first payment was in one week.  

Sadly, the person she had been caring for and living with for a long time had since passed away, and despite promising to allow her to live there for the duration of her treatment, the family had asked her to leave with no notice – she had no rights to be there. 

The final bit of her radiation treatment for cancer (a whole year’s journey) was starting in four days at the Hospital when she was asked to leave.  Jaya could have gone back to her home in the coast, but could not attend ten days in a row for radiation treatment from there. 

There is no provision to arrange to move your treatment to another area at such short notice.  Jaya was hurt that she had been thrown out of the house at short notice, and desperate to complete her treatment. 

Having established the status of her UC claim, the caseworker was able to talk Jaya through the Advance Payment option for UC.  She gave her the details and empowered her to go down to the local Job Centre at midday on the Friday afternoon. 

Armed with that information, and being met by a very sympathetic DWP worker there, Jaya was able to apply for a UC Advance and had £300 placed into her bank account by the end of that day. 

As per usual practice, the Macmillan caseworker then supported Jaya by checking and maximising her benefits entitlement, identifying if there were any issues and providing detailed and step by step advice and guidance to move the claims forward until receipt of payment or appropriate support. She was supported with advice on: UC, new-style ESA, Council Tax Support (CTS), maximising her income and reducing her expenditures. Jaya was able to get some extra support from a local Money Advice service in Essex that helped with supermarket vouchers, energy grants and budgeting advice. The extend of the caseworker’s help includes the start of the claims, verification of documents, and chasing the applications.  

Outcomes: 

Jaya was supported to understand that the loan will have to be paid back to UC at a monthly rate, but her urgent need for money to allow the end of her treatment was resolved £300 UC Advance payment. 

She managed to secure her UC Housing Element payments £400/month directly to the landlord for her peace of mind and new-style ESA £276.40 per fortnight. 

She got CTS saving £810 per year for her Council Tax bill. 

She was empowered to follow up the increase of her UC due to a delayed decision on her UC LCWRA (Limited Capability for Work Related Activities), potentially increasing her UC claim by further £400 per month. 

Jaya was able to secure two weeks of accommodation at a shared property near the Hospital to last for the duration of her radiation treatment.  Jaya said to the caseworker she was so happy that she could end her treatment and then return home to begin the next phase of her life and start to recover. She gained peace of mind and better mental health to deal with her physical recovery; by increasing her financial capability and making sure she got her full benefits entitlement. But mainly, she received invaluable and practical support when she was overwhelmed by her health issues, potential homelessness and cancer treatments. The caseworker enabled her to improve her quality of life greatly when she most needed it.  

NOTE:  * All client stories have had certain details changed or omitted to preserve the clients’ anonymity.