What are Macmillan Grants?
These are one-off payments for adults, young people or children with cancer, to cover a wide range of practical needs. This includes things such as higher heating bills, extra clothing, or a much needed break.
Who are they for?
You can apply for a Macmillan Grant if you have cancer or are still
affected by your illness or treatment and:
-
your savings amount to no more than £6,000 if you are single, or £8,000 as a couple or family
-
your household disposable income is under £100 a week for each
person (this means that once you have paid your mortgage or rent, council tax, insurance, child maintenance and water rates, the total amount left – from the combined income of everyone living in the house – is under £100 per person, when divided by the number of people living in the house).
NB Disability Living Allowance and Attendance Allowance do not count as disposable income.
These are the general conditions, but we take account of individual circumstances.
What can the grants provide?
Some of the typical expenses Macmillan Grants help with are fares to and from hospital for treatment, heating bills, washing machines and other household items to help make life easier. We also give grants for items that help individuals with cancer continue with activities they enjoy. For example, we gave a grant to a man with cancer of the larynx to help pay for a special swimming device, so that he could still enjoy swimming after his operation.
How do I get one?
We aim to make our application process as simple and as quick
as possible.
Step one
You need to apply through a health or social care professional,
such as a social worker, district nurse, or a Macmillan nurse if you
have one.
Step two
They will fill in a grant application form with you and send it to
the Grants team at Macmillan Cancer Support, together with a short
medical report from your doctor, consultant or Macmillan nurse.
Step three
The Macmillan Grants team will process your application on the
day they receive it.
Step four
If your application is approved, payments are generally sent out
within three working days.
A grant from Macmillan will not affect the benefits you are entitled to.
Any personal or medical information included in your application will be treated confidentially.
Every week, over 400 people receive a grant from Macmillan. If you have any questions about Macmillan Grants or would like more information, or if you are having difficulty getting someone to fill in an application form with you, please contact the Macmillan CancerLine on 0808 808 2020.