Charity sees a rise in crisis calls as tens of thousands of cancer patients ‘struggle to survive due to devastating financial hardship’
Macmillan Cancer Support is launching an emergency appeal as it warns that tens of thousands of people with cancer are in financial distress, with the hidden costs of a cancer diagnosis, coupled with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, pushing people to ‘extreme measures’.
Macmillan Cancer Support is launching an emergency appeal as it warns that tens of thousands of people with cancer are in financial distress, with the hidden costs of a cancer diagnosis, coupled with the impact of the cost-of-living crisis, pushing people to ‘extreme measures’.
The leading cancer support charity has seen a worrying rise in people with cancer contacting its support line with money worries who are also presenting with significant mental health concerns, a 33% increase so far in 2023 compared with 2022[i]. This comes as new data from the charity reveals that a quarter (24%) of people having cancer treatment in the UK are living on a low income, and among this group, one in five (21%) are struggling to pay their basic living costs[ii] — equating to an estimated 25,000 cancer patients across the UK each year[iii].
Further data from Macmillan shows that around a third of people having cancer treatment who are struggling in the cost-of-living crisis are being forced to cut back on basic hygiene or cleaning essentials, such as soap, toothpaste or disinfectant[iv]. Some are neglecting their nutrition, warmth and hygiene and taking further drastic measures to cut costs such as skipping meals, washing using buckets, or missing hospital appointments[v]. Macmillan warns that this could have serious implications for people’s health and potentially impact their chances of survival.
Previous research from Macmillan found that cancer can come with a significant and often unexpected price tag — four in five people with cancer experience a financial impact, which for those affected reaches almost £900 a month on average in addition to their usual outgoings[vi]. This could include the extra travel needed to get to and from appointments, higher energy costs as people urgently try to stay warm during treatment, or the loss of income with many people unable to work.
These extra costs, on top of the rising cost of living, are having a devastating impact and Macmillan warns that this could be the hardest winter yet for many people with cancer after what has already been a very challenging year. Since January, Macmillan has seen a 55% increase in Macmillan grants being given to support people with their travel costs compared with the same time last year, and since April there has been a 37% increase in grants being given to support people with the cost of personal hygiene essentials while staying in hospital[vii].
Sal was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2022 at 45 and is currently in treatment. She is on long-term sick leave and her only income now is Personal Independence Payment. Sal says:
“I have felt like a prisoner in this cost-of-living crisis. When I received my cancer diagnosis, I had to stay home more and started to really feel the cold due to my treatment. As I’m not working, I can’t afford to turn the central heating on, and last year was forced to wash my clothes in a bucket to cut washing machine costs. We’ve had to be careful with food expenditure and on occasion we’ve had to skip meals to ensure there is food on the table for my family. The situation is definitely dicey and we have to continue to be so careful. Macmillan have been a lifesaver providing us with a one-off grant which gave us a window of opportunity to figure out our finances, and they also helped me navigate applying for my benefits as well. I really don’t know where I’d be without them.”
Richard Manson at Macmillan Cancer Support talks to people with cancer day in day out who are being forced to make devastating financial choices and take drastic measures to survive. Richard says:
“Far too many people going through a cancer diagnosis are also living in severe financial distress, being forced into making heart-breaking choices and struggling to survive. Every day we hear about the extreme measures people are resorting to, such as washing in a bucket to save on bills or having to decide between feeding their children or travelling to life-saving appointments.
“For tens of thousands of people with cancer, this crisis is not going away, in fact it’s only getting worse. At Macmillan we’re doing everything we can to provide vital help to those who need it, but we can’t do it alone. We are almost entirely funded by incredibly generous donations and with more support this winter we can reach even more people at a time when they’ve never needed us more.”
As part of the charity’s Emergency Grants Appeal and following the start of the busy Christmas shopping period, Macmillan is launching its first ‘Winter Gift Guide’. The Gift Guide highlights the huge variety of essentials many people living with cancer need but can’t afford, such as blankets to keep warm during treatment or hygiene products, and the vital impact a Macmillan Grant can have. Macmillan Grants are one-off payments to help with the extra costs that living with cancer can bring. The charity is urging anyone who can to donate to its Emergency Grants Appeal via the Gift Guide to help Macmillan support even more people living with cancer during the difficult winter ahead.
Every pound donated through the Emergency Grants Appeal will be doubled by Santander UK at no extra cost to the donor, up to a total of £100,000.
Anyone who may be worried about the financial impact of cancer can find out more about the variety of support available at www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/benefits-and-financial-support.
The leading cancer support charity has seen a worrying rise in people with cancer contacting its support line with money worries who are also presenting with significant mental health concerns, a 33% increase so far in 2023 compared with 2022[i]. This comes as new data from the charity reveals that a quarter (24%) of people having cancer treatment in the UK are living on a low income, and among this group, one in five (21%) are struggling to pay their basic living costs[ii] — equating to an estimated 25,000 cancer patients across the UK each year[iii].
Further data from Macmillan shows that around a third of people having cancer treatment who are struggling in the cost-of-living crisis are being forced to cut back on basic hygiene or cleaning essentials, such as soap, toothpaste or disinfectant[iv]. Some are neglecting their nutrition, warmth and hygiene and taking further drastic measures to cut costs such as skipping meals, washing using buckets, or missing hospital appointments[v]. Macmillan warns that this could have serious implications for people’s health and potentially impact their chances of survival.
Previous research from Macmillan found that cancer can come with a significant and often unexpected price tag — four in five people with cancer experience a financial impact, which for those affected reaches almost £900 a month on average in addition to their usual outgoings[vi]. This could include the extra travel needed to get to and from appointments, higher energy costs as people urgently try to stay warm during treatment, or the loss of income with many people unable to work.
These extra costs, on top of the rising cost of living, are having a devastating impact and Macmillan warns that this could be the hardest winter yet for many people with cancer after what has already been a very challenging year. Since January, Macmillan has seen a 55% increase in Macmillan grants being given to support people with their travel costs compared with the same time last year, and since April there has been a 37% increase in grants being given to support people with the cost of personal hygiene essentials while staying in hospital[vii].
Sal was diagnosed with breast cancer in February 2022 at 45 and is currently in treatment. She is on long-term sick leave and her only income now is Personal Independence Payment. Sal says:
“I have felt like a prisoner in this cost-of-living crisis. When I received my cancer diagnosis, I had to stay home more and started to really feel the cold due to my treatment. As I’m not working, I can’t afford to turn the central heating on, and last year was forced to wash my clothes in a bucket to cut washing machine costs. We’ve had to be careful with food expenditure and on occasion we’ve had to skip meals to ensure there is food on the table for my family. The situation is definitely dicey and we have to continue to be so careful. Macmillan have been a lifesaver providing us with a one-off grant which gave us a window of opportunity to figure out our finances, and they also helped me navigate applying for my benefits as well. I really don’t know where I’d be without them.”
Richard Manson at Macmillan Cancer Support talks to people with cancer day in day out who are being forced to make devastating financial choices and take drastic measures to survive. Richard says:
“Far too many people going through a cancer diagnosis are also living in severe financial distress, being forced into making heart-breaking choices and struggling to survive. Every day we hear about the extreme measures people are resorting to, such as washing in a bucket to save on bills or having to decide between feeding their children or travelling to life-saving appointments.
“For tens of thousands of people with cancer, this crisis is not going away, in fact it’s only getting worse. At Macmillan we’re doing everything we can to provide vital help to those who need it, but we can’t do it alone. We are almost entirely funded by incredibly generous donations and with more support this winter we can reach even more people at a time when they’ve never needed us more.”
As part of the charity’s Emergency Grants Appeal and following the start of the busy Christmas shopping period, Macmillan is launching its first ‘Winter Gift Guide’. The Gift Guide highlights the huge variety of essentials many people living with cancer need but can’t afford, such as blankets to keep warm during treatment or hygiene products, and the vital impact a Macmillan Grant can have. Macmillan Grants are one-off payments to help with the extra costs that living with cancer can bring. The charity is urging anyone who can to donate to its Emergency Grants Appeal via the Gift Guide to help Macmillan support even more people living with cancer during the difficult winter ahead.
Every pound donated through the Emergency Grants Appeal will be doubled by Santander UK at no extra cost to the donor, up to a total of £100,000.
Anyone who may be worried about the financial impact of cancer can find out more about the variety of support available at www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/impacts-of-cancer/benefits-and-financial-support.
Key facts
- Among people currently undergoing cancer treatment in the UK, 24% have a total household income below £20,000 a year, and of this group, one in five (21%) are struggling to pay their basic living costs[viii]. A common measure used when talking about poverty is having 60% or less of median income, which in the UK would currently equate to around £18,000 a year[ix], suggesting the majority of cancer patients who have an income of under £20,000 a year and are struggling to pay their living costs are likely to be living in poverty.
- Cancer patients with a household income of under £20,000 are around twice as likely to be struggling to pay their basic living costs as those with a household income of £20,000 or more (21% compared with 11%)[x].
- Oher new figures from the charity show that compared with a similar time last year, cancer patients who are being affected by increasing costs are now more likely to be hit by higher prices for basic personal hygiene products such as soap, toothpaste and shampoo (57% compared with 41%), and household cleaning products (58% compared with 41%)[xi].
- Previous research from the charity shows that among cancer patients who have experienced increases in their day-to-day costs, one in three (36%) have been cutting back on the products needed to keep either themselves or their homes clean[xii] — risking their personal hygiene and basic dignity at a time when their physical and mental health is already at risk.
- Since the start of January, Macmillan has given out more than £15 million in grants to more than 44,000 people with cancer across the UK, an increase of over 2,500 people compared with the same time last year[xiii].
- So far this year Macmillan’s Support Line has answered more than 64,000 telephone queries about people’s money worries, a 12% increase on the same period in 2022 and a 31% increase on 2021xiv. There have also been more than 84,000 visits to the main financial information page on the Macmillan website[xv].
Notes to Editors
About Macmillan Cancer Support:
At Macmillan, we give people with cancer everything we’ve got. If you’re diagnosed, your worries are our worries. We will do whatever it takes to help you live life as fully as you can. And we don’t stop there. We’re going all out to find ever better ways to help people with cancer, helping to bring forward the day when everyone gets life-transforming support from day one. As cancer is evolving, so must we. Macmillan will not settle for anything other than the best possible support for people living with cancer. As a charity, we can’t afford to stand still. Now more than ever, we need to take every chance to make a difference. But we cannot do it alone. We have been working with others for over 100 years and will continue to do so. So, we’re working to create a vision of Macmillan that is shaped side by side with the people and communities we exist to support.