Our impact
There are lots of cancer charities. But there's only one Macmillan. No one cares as passionately as us. We'll do whatever it takes to support people living with cancer.
The difference we make
Everyone’s experience of living with cancer is unique, but everyone needs someone in their corner – that’s where we come in. From the moment someone is diagnosed with cancer, we’re there with all the information, support and guidance they need.
The pandemic was a challenging time for people living with cancer. But we didn't let cancer become the Forgotten 'C'. We listened, we rolled up our sleeves and delivered essential services when people needed them most. We even created a few new ones. But we know there’s so much left to do.
We Fund Healthcare Professionals
Macmillan Professionals are the beating heart of our charity, helping people living with cancer live life as fully as they can. They are there for the bad days and they tell it like it is. But we've got the skills and experience to make the bad days and nights just a little bit easier.
One of our main priorities is to ensure more peopleliving with cancer have good conversations with healthcare professionals about their all-round needs and concerns. A key way we’re making this happen is by funding more cancer professionals.
In 2022, we invested £74.4 million in 711 Macmillan Professional roles. We also supported 192 education and wellbeing grants during the year – these grants allow professionals to undertake courses or conferences that support them to deliver better care for people living with cancer.
We provide healthcare services
We want everyone living with cancer to get the treatment and support they need. That's why we work with the NHS and other partners to deliver services where they are needed most.
In 2021 we facilitated more than 44,000 Holistic Needs Assessments for people living with cancer. This means they were able to have a structured conversation with a healthcare professional about their needs and concerns and receive a personalised care and support plan.
Since 1976, we have also built over 225 Macmillan Cancer Centres, including Information and Support Centres, Clinical Oncology Centres and Hospices. Our centres offer a range of clinical, emotional and practical support. In 2021 an estimated 108,000 people living with cancer received treatment in a Macmillan Cancer Centre.
We provide cancer information and support
We believe everyone living with cancer should have access to the information and support they need to understand their cancer and make important decisions about their care.
In 2022:
- We supported 113,000 people through our Macmillan Support Line, email or webchat. Of this, almost 44,000 people were given money and work support by our Welfare Rights, Financial Guidance and Energy Advice team.
- Approximately 730,000 people received in-person support from one or more of our Macmillan Professionals or services
- We counselled over 5,300 people through our free specialist counselling service
- The Cancer Information and Support pages of our website were read by approximately 711,000 people.
- Our Boots Macmillan Information Pharmacists shared advice through a total of an estimated 155,000 conversations with people affected by cancer
We support people with money worries
People living with cancer have enough to worry about, and we don't want them to have to worry about money on top of everything else.
In 2022, we gave out over £19 million in one-off Macmillan Grants payments to support over 48,500 people who needed help with costs related to a cancer diagnosis.
We achieved this through our expert financial support services identifying state benefits that people were entitled to and through our Macmillan Grants scheme. Our local Welfare Rights Services reported £254 million in financial gains for 72,000 people living with cancer. This represents a 17% increase in the financial gains that we helped people to secure in 2021.
“I had no idea that Macmillan did grants, and boy did I cry when it was given to me. I remember that phone call very vividly; it was a phone call out of desperation. At the end of the conversation, I just remember feeling sheer relief that I could cover the cost of rent and heating for another month, or at least until my Universal Credit payments kicked in about five weeks later,”
Laura, diagnosed with breast cancer
We provide social, emotional and practical support services
We work in local communities to reach as many people living with cancer as we can. In 2022, our Boots Macmillan Beauty Advisers had an estimated 24,000 consultations with people living with cancer across the UK.
Working with our amazing volunteers, our Macmillan Buddies provide a listening ear and emotional support to people living with cancer when they need it most – a free service that matches people with a volunteer who understands what they are going through. In 2022, Macmillan Buddies supported over 3,500 people living with cancer.
"When you get diagnosed with cancer, you need to have a big support team behind you. There’s no doubt the Macmillan Buddy I have in Cheryl is a big support." - Keith, diagnosed with liver cancer in 2019
We Campaign for Betterness
4 in 5 people living with cancer are, on average, up to £891 a month worse off because of their illness. People living with cancer faced 24-week delays to receive vital Personal Independence Payment (PIP) benefits in 2022. Pay PIP Now saw Macmillan campaign for the Government to take action.
Sarifa, Macmillan Campaigner:
“The process of claiming PIP can be very difficult. At one point, my own PIP payments were stopped for six months. It was really detrimental to my health because of the financial implications. I fought to get my payments back, and now I am receiving what I am entitled to. We need the Government to pay PIP now, so others like me don’t have to put their lives on hold, suffer, or get into debt.”