If your cancer causes disability that affects the type of work you do, you may be eligible for help from Access to Work, a scheme which is run by the Department for Work and Pensions. If your employer needs to make adjustments to enable you to work, they should contact Access to Work through the disability employment adviser at your local Jobcentre Plus office. An assessment is then made by the adviser in consultation with yourself and your employer.

The adviser produces a report for the employer which recommends any changes that the employer needs to make. Access to Work also reimburses employers of disabled people with up to 80% of the cost of any special help that an employee needs because of their disability. For people starting work, up to 100% of the costs may be covered. The scheme supports part- or full-time employees or people who are self-employed. Under certain circumstances, an employee who works from home (but is not self-employed) will also be considered for support through the scheme.

Access to Work can give employers financial help. This can include money for:

• adaptations to premises and equipment (for example, a ramp for wheelchair or upgrades to computer equipment)
• the cost of an interpreter or communicator to give support at interview (for example, a sign language interpreter for a deaf person)
• one-off aids or items of support (for example, retraining costs for an employee who is at risk of losing their job because of disability)
• a personal reader for people with visual disability
• special aids and equipment (for example, an item required to do your job which would not be needed by a fit person) 
• a support worker to give practical help at work or with the journey to and from work (for example, a teacher who may need help to set up a classroom but not with teaching)
• travel to work (for example, the extra cost of travelling (such as a cab) if you can't use public transport, or help with the cost of adapting a car).

If you fit the criteria and are eligible for the scheme, Access to Work will pay up to 80% of the approved costs for many of the elements. However, if an application to the scheme is made more than six weeks after the person has started the job, an employer, or someone who is self-employed, has to pay a proportion of the cost of special equipment and adaptations to premises.

Placement Assessment and Counselling Teams (PACTs), based at Jobcentre Plus offices, also give employers advice on recruiting and retaining employees with a disability. PACTs operate the following schemes:

• Job Introduction scheme provides grants to employers who take on employees for a trial period.
• Supported Placement scheme helps people with severe impairments to work alongside non-disabled people.

Each of these schemes provides opportunities to return to work but only apply in specific situations.

If you have or have had cancer and you feel that you are being discriminated against by your employer, you can get advice and support from the Disability Rights Commission or ACAS. They can let you know your rights and support you through any legal action against your employer.