Work and breast cancer

For the purposes of the Equality Act 2010, anyone who has or has had breast cancer is classed as disabled. This protects employees in England, Scotland and Wales from being discriminated against because of their diagnosis and ongoing treatment.

The Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) 1995 protects people living in Northern Ireland.

Under the Acts, you cannot lose your job or be treated unfairly because you have breast cancer.

If you have breast cancer, your employer has to make reasonable adjustments to help you either continue to work or return to work. See below for more information about reasonable adjustments.

You can find information about your rights at work on the Macmillan Cancer Support and Working With Cancer websites. You may also find it useful to read about sick pay, benefits and financial support.

If you feel like you have been discriminated against at work because of your breast cancer diagnosis, you can contact Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service) for advice. See the bottom of this page for more information.

Telling an employer about breast cancer

You do not have to tell your employer that you have cancer, but it could help them to be more supportive and flexible and to make reasonable adjustments for you.

You have the right for any information you do provide about your breast cancer to be kept private and only discussed with other colleagues with your permission.

Your rights if you’re caring for someone with breast cancer

Under the Carer’s Leave Act 2023, you’re entitled to 1 week of unpaid leave a year if you need to provide or arrange care for someone with a long-term care need.

Everyone is entitled to this leave from the first day of employment. You can take the whole week in one go or as individual days or half days throughout the year.

Some employers also offer paid carer’s leave or flexible working arrangements to help you with the balance between work and caring responsibilities. Check your contract or speak to your manager or human resources (HR) department about this.

See below for useful organisations that can offer support and guidance on your rights at work when caring for someone with breast cancer. 

You can also read information on being the partner of someone with breast cancer.

If you’re self-employed, you may worry that your diagnosis and treatment will affect your business. You may not be entitled to the same support that an employed person has.

However, you may have more flexibility to decide your work hours and take time off for hospital appointments. 

Find more information on self-employment and cancer on the Macmillan website.

Working with Cancer also provides career coaching for self-employed people.

Some people continue to work during treatment either with or without adjustments like reduced hours. Others give up work temporarily or permanently.

Everyone’s different and what feels right for you might be different to what’s right for someone else.

Whether you feel able to continue working while going through breast cancer treatment will depend on:

• The type of breast cancer you have and whether it has spread
• The treatment you’re having and its side effects
• Your financial situation
• Your physical and mental wellbeing
• The support you have around you, for example help with childcare

For some people, continuing to work can provide structure, a sense of purpose or a distraction during treatment. Others decide to take a break from work during treatment and recovery.

Speak to your treatment team about how your diagnosis and treatment plan is likely to affect you and your ability to work.

If you’ve taken time off or reduced your working hours during treatment, when you return to work will depend on how you’re feeling, any ongoing side effects, what your job involves and your financial situation.

Returning to work might help you start getting back to the things you did before your diagnosis.

However, you may feel upset and frustrated if returning to work is not as straightforward as you’d imagined. You may have ongoing side effects from treatment such as fatigue and cognitive impairment (chemo brain). Or you may still be adjusting to life after cancer treatment and the emotional changes this can bring.

It can be helpful to discuss your plan to return to work with your treatment team or GP. You can also speak to your HR department if you have one or your manager. Your employer is required to make reasonable adjustments to help you return to work and manage work long term.

Some people choose to give up work permanently or take early retirement. See below for more information about giving up work.

Under the Equality Act 2010, your employer must make reasonable adjustments to help you return to work or make work easier for you.

Reasonable adjustments include practical changes to your working environment or work arrangements that make it easier for you to be at work and do your tasks.

Adjustments can include changes to work patterns, new or different equipment to help you in your role or changes to policies and procedures.

It can be helpful to share any side effects you've got with your employer so they can understand how best to support you and offer adjustments.

The following are examples of reasonable adjustments.

Phased return to work

A phased return to work is when you gradually build up your hours or workload when coming back to work.

It might include starting on reduced hours or having a lighter workload and slowly building up to all your previous responsibilities.

This may be particularly helpful if your job is physically or mentally demanding.

Time off for medical appointments

You do not have an automatic legal right to time off work for medical appointments, but your employer may have a sickness policy that allows this.

You can talk to your HR department or manager about having time off for medical appointments.

Changes to your work pattern or role

Your employer may be able to make changes to your role, including reducing your workload or giving you lighter duties for a period of time. You may also be offered a change of role after discussion with your employer. This will depend on the type of job you do and your work environment.

If you’ve changed your hours or worked part time as part of your phased return and want to continue doing this, you can make a flexible working request. If your request is approved, it results in a permanent change to your contract.

Find out more about different types of flexible working on the Acas website.

Changes to your work environment

Talking to your employer about any side effects you have may help them to make adjustments to your working environment so that you’re more comfortable.

Examples might include:

• Giving you a desk fan if you have hot flushes
• Moving your desk closer to the toilets
• Wearing a different uniform or adjusting your uniform so it’s more comfortable for you

Speak to colleagues

Your colleagues might not understand the impact your breast cancer diagnosis can have on your daily life. You could speak to your colleagues to explain your treatment, or give them some of our information to read.

You could also ask your manager or HR department to speak to your colleagues on your behalf if you’d prefer.

This may help you to feel more supported by your colleagues at work.

Speak to your treatment team or GP

There may be other adjustments that can help you depending on the type of role you have. Speak to your treatment team or GP about any other adjustments they would recommend and share this with your employer.

Changing career direction 

You may find you cannot or do not want to return to the hours and workload you had before your diagnosis. You might also be thinking about a complete change of direction. Take your time and consider all options available to you.

You might find Macmillan Cancer Support’s information about finding a new job helpful.

Starting a new job

Employers generally cannot ask questions about your health during the recruitment process. This includes asking if you have a disability.

They are allowed to ask for equal opportunities monitoring purposes, or if your health is relevant to the job.

Once you’ve been offered a job, an employer can then ask for information about your health if relevant.

If you’re asked directly, it’s important to answer truthfully. Giving false or incomplete information could mislead your employer. They cannot withdraw the job offer because you have had breast cancer.

Some people choose to stop working altogether after breast cancer. This may be for health reasons or because the experience of having breast cancer has made them reassess their career and priorities.

However, giving up work is not an option for everyone and your circumstances may mean it’s not possible.

Giving up work for good means you also give up any rights and benefits linked to your job.

If you’re planning to stop working, get independent employment guidance before you make any decisions.

You may be able to take early retirement on medical grounds (you may hear it called ill-health retirement). This means you can take your pension before the usual minimum age of 55. Not everyone is eligible for this as it depends on your pension provider, employer pension scheme and individual circumstances. Speak to your employer or pension provider about whether this is possible for you.

Thinking about work and breast cancer may make you feel overwhelmed and anxious. You may find our information on coping emotionally and managing stress and anxiety helpful.

You can also speak to our nurses through our confidential helpline. See below for ways to get in touch.

And you can share your concerns and experience through our online discussion forum.

If you’ve been diagnosed with primary breast cancer, our Someone Like Me service can also put you in touch with someone who has experience of the issues you’re facing.

Our Living With Secondary Breast Cancer service is also there to support people with metastatic breast cancer, either in person or online.

Other helpful organisations

Acas (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service)

Acas provides free and impartial information and advice to employers and employees on all aspects of workplace relations and employment law. They also have a disability at work hub that explains your rights.

Access to Work

Access to Work is a government scheme that can support you and your employer to make reasonable adjustments at work. They can provide grants to help cover the costs of practical support in the workplace.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice is a charity that offers free financial advice. They offer support on benefits, work, debt and finances, housing and health.

Macmillan Cancer Support

Macmillan Cancer Support produces information on work, self-employment and your rights.

Working Families

Working Families offers free advice and support on employment rights and in-work benefits for parents and carers. They also have information on balancing work and caring responsibilities.

Working With Cancer

Working With Cancer helps support employees, employers, the self-employed, job seekers and carers to manage cancer and work. They offer guidance, coaching and resources to help people during and after cancer treatment.