She worked for Shelter from 1969 to 1971, and for the Social Services Department at the London Borough of Camden from 1971 to 1974, when she was named Deputy Director of the National Council for One-Parent Families.

[2] She participated on William F. Buckley's Firing Line television programs in January 1972 as a member of a panel discussing "The Irish Problem" and featuring then-MP Bernadette Devlin McAliskey,[3] and on 24 July 1973 in an episode discussing whether the Apollo program had been worth it,[4] and again on the 20 August 1973 episode with Malcolm Muggeridge on the theme "Has America Had It?".

From 1992 to 1997, she was a member of the Council of University College, London, and chair of Whittington Hospital NHS Trust.

[7] She became a member of the Privy Council in 2001, but left political office the same year to become chairman of Cancer Research UK (2001–2005).

She was nominated as a candidate by Baroness Symons of Vernham Dean and seconded by Lord Walton of Detchant.

[citation needed] On 2 March 2011, Hayman gave a lecture to the Mile End Group in the Attlee Suite of Portcullis House.

[9] On 9 May 2011, Hayman announced that she would not seek re-election for a second term as Lord Speaker;[10] her successor was Baroness D'Souza.