A man diagnosed with cancer has been left with £4,500 in debt after his employer inadvertently continued paying him during his treatment. Jack Parker, 32, from Plymouth, was diagnosed with Gastric B Cell Non Hodgkin Lymphoma in December after months of severe pain. His employer allowed him to work from home initially, but payments continued erroneously through January, February, and March before switching to statutory sick pay in April.
Financial Burden Added to Health Struggles
Jack, a former account manager, said the financial stress has compounded the emotional toll of his illness. "It is awful," he said. "Especially as at this time, I do not even know if I have beat cancer. I have young children and go to bed each night praying that I am not going to leave them and on top of that now, I have financial stress to worry about."
When Jack realized the mistake, he contacted his boss, who told him the overpayment was £6,000 but had been reduced to £4,500. Jack was expected to repay the amount on a payment plan but said there was no discussion about affordability. After returning to work part-time, he was placed back on probation and eventually quit due to the pressure.
Raising Awareness
Now unemployed with two young children and undergoing intensive chemotherapy, Jack finds it extremely difficult to repay the debt. He hopes his story raises awareness for others facing similar situations. "I am not looking for compensation, I just wanted the debt cleared and the freedom to talk about my own experience with cancer," he said.
