Hi, work related question! Will I lose my ESA if I resign from my job?

linda81

I am a primary school teacher. I was diagnosed with stage 3 Grade 3 breast cancer at the start of August 2022. I was 41, now 42. July 2022 I finished in my teacher role and secured another job to start teaching in another school September 2022, I had accepted the job prior to being diagnosed with BC. As soon as I found out I alerted my new employer. 

I ended up with 3 surgeries in 8 weeks due to the aggressive nature and spread of my cancer. I had delayed healing and was left with open wounds for 12 months. I had 12 rounds of chemo, 20 radiotherapy. Im now on a 2 year oral chemo trail. 

As a result of all of the above I now have the following issues:

lympodema in my dominant arm
lymphodema in my breast
neuropathy in my finger tips
nerve damage due to surgery in my dominant arm
Debilitating bone pain due to cancer drug's
Chronic fatigue due to cancer drugs and oral chemo
D&V due to oral chemo
memory issues due to cancer drugs

In all honestly the list is endless but these are the main ones I struggle with. I'm on lots of medications for the next ten years or so. I have been away from my new role for 16 months now and know mentally and physically I currently am unfit to teach. I claim PIP and ESA and have had a capability to work assessment done. I do not receive sick pay anymore. 

My work want a meeting with them and HR to discuss returning to work despite me telling them I currently can't and having oncology support this. This is now constantly on my mind and I don't want to have to explain intimate details to HR and my head on why reasonable adjustments won't suffice. I am at the point where I feel it's only fair all around to resign. Will this affect my ESA? 
 

poppy123456

Resigning from work will not affect your ESA. As you’re currently going through chemo I would expect you to be in the Support Group anyway. 

linda81

Thanks Poppy. I am in the support group. I've had normal chemo but I'm now having 24 cycles of oral chemo which lasts 2 years. I appreciate your response! 

Rosie_Scope

Hi @linda81, welcome to the community. Sorry to hear you've been going through cancer treatment. As Poppy mentioned, if you're in the support group your ESA should hopefully be unaffected.

Have you had any contact with Macmillan at all? They have a support line that offers advice about benefits that you might find helpful should you have any more worries about it: Welfare rights advice | Macmillan Cancer Support

I'm going to pop your post over to our ESA section where more members can find it and offer their advice and support. I hope whatever decision you make about resigning works out for you and the rest of your treatment goes well

linda81

Thank you Rosie. I have sent Macmillan a message online and my union. Awaiting a response. Thank you for posting on the ESA group, I appreciate that. 

poppy123456

If you receive any earnings that maybe owed to you then this will not affect your ESA. 

Have you also checked entitlement to Universal Credit? If you live with a partner you’ll need to claim as a couple because it’s means tested. If you have savings/capital of more than £16,000 you’re excluded from claiming.

As you’re in the Support Group you’ll be entitled to the LCWRA element from the start of your claim. Your ESA will be deducted in full from any UC entitlement. Use a benefits calculator to check entitlement. https://www.entitledto.co.uk/benefits-calculator/Intro/Home?cid=5e79366f-4326-4a5b-b14e-69670824d4a4

linda81

Thanks Poppy, we aren't entitled to UC due to my husband working and earning more than required to qualify. I do get the LWRCA element. With that and PIP we are still around 1200 a month down. Maybe even more, as I've had to fork out this month for compression bras that aren't on prescription! Thanks for your help. X