Our strategy

At Macmillan, we will do whatever it takes to help everyone with cancer live life as fully as they can. We’re going all out to find even better ways to help even more people who need our support. 
Read the strategy

Our 2023 plan

Our plan for this year focuses on the areas where we can make the biggest difference to the 3 million people living with cancer in the UK today. Our 2023 priorities to improve our services and support are detailed below:

  • Help more people with the cost of living crisis. By investing more money into grants and welfare advice so people get the financial help they desperately need. We’ll also work with partners in energy and banking across the UK to drive industry-wide change.
  • Make our services more inclusive. By increasing our cancer champions in local communities, volunteers offering tailored help and guidance to people furthest from accessing cancer support and information. We will also form a national partnerships to offer grants to grassroots organisations working with under-represented communities.
  • Work closely with our 11,000 Macmillan professionals. By supporting their development and making sure they have the right tools, skills, support and resources to deliver excellent personalised care experiences for people living with cancer.
  • Transform our cancer information services. By increasing their reach and improving the experience for people with cancer accessing these services.
  • Work with partners to deliver joined up health and care services. By improving the Cancer Journey is a successful service in Scotland that gives people diagnosed with cancer access to a dedicated support worker who can connect them to emotional, practical and financial support that’s right for them. This year we will pilot the model in England.

Our objectives

The number one.

We want everyone to know they can turn to Macmillan and how we can help them from the moment they are diagnosed.

We're famous for our amazing Macmillan nurses, but many people living with cancer, doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals don't know how we can help them at different stages of a cancer experience.

We want to make sure they're all aware of the vital information and support we can offer.

The number two.

We want everyone to have a conversation about all their needs and concerns, and get the support that's right for them.

Making sense of the different support out there can be confusing, disorientating and sometimes impossible. Beyond the healthcare support in the hospital, thousands of people have no one to talk to about what they need or who can help.

We think everyone should have the opportunity to talk about their needs, whenever and wherever.

The number three.

We want everyone to have their vital needs met by high quality services.​

Right now, thousands of people are having to cope without the right support. We know that different people need different types of support at different times in their cancer experience.

Cancer affects much more than someone’s health. It can have an impact on a person's financial, practical and emotional health, particularly if cancer is treatable but not curable or if someone is at end of life. We have so much to offer when it comes to supporting people.

The number four.

We want to inspire more people to give to Macmillan so we can continue to be there for people when they need us most.

We are 98% funded by voluntary donations and 75% of our income comes from people who have had a positive experience with Macmillan, and we don't want to take this for granted.

We need to find new ways to generate income beyond traditional fundraising. We need to adapt and stay ahead by listening and responding to what our supporters want and expect from us for years to come.

The number five.

We want to improve the key processes which support Macmillan to do its work as efficiently and effectively as possible.​

We take our responsibility to our people seriously and know that there is always more we can do to improve how we work so that people with cancer receive the best support from us every time.

The number six written in black as a digit on a green circle.

We will reflect and represent the communities we serve in everything we do to support everyone living with cancer.

We want Macmillan to be an inclusive organisation, where everyone we work with, as a colleague, a supporter, or someone we support, feels that they belong.

To make sure we are doing everything we can for people who are diagnosed with cancer, it's essential for Macmillan to see, hear, and understand the people we support and see them as individuals.

Read more about equity, diversity and inclusion at Macmillan.

Our impact

Behind every number and statistic there is a person whose story matters. Here are just a few examples of how your support helps us to be there for people living with cancer.

A stack of four gold coins on a light green background.

£315 million

in benefits and grants secured for people living with cancer.

274,000

calls, emails and web enquiries answered through the Macmillan Support Line.

Two dark green teacups on a light green background.

3000

people living with cancer given emotional support by a Macmillan Buddy.

A dark green wallet on a light green background.

£29 million

invested in over 350 Macmillan Professionals such as nurses and support workers.

Learn more about our impact

You might also be interested in...

Our values
Find out more about Macmillan's values and how we make sure we stick to them.
Our annual reports and accounts
Check out out annual reports and accounts to find out how we raise and spend our money.
What we do
Find out more about Macmillan and all the things we do to help people living with cancer.