International Day of Persons with Disabilities

16 million people in the UK had a disability in 2022-23 according to research by the Department of Work and Pensions. This represents 24% of the total population.

Cancer is legally defined as a disability under the Equality Act in England, Scotland and Wales, and the Disability Discrimination Act in Northern Ireland.

This legal definition brings protection by law against discrimination. This means you cannot be treated less favourably than other people because you have cancer, or for reasons connected to the cancer, in relation to:

• employment
• education
• access to goods, services and facilities
• renting or buying property.

In England, Scotland and Wales the Equality Act 2010 applies to people with cancer or those who have had cancer in the past. It also protects your rights if you have an association with a disabled person, for example if you are their carer or parent. This is known as 'discrimination by association'.

You can find out more about your rights as a disabled person on gov.uk (for England, Scotland and Wales) and nidirect.gov.uk (for Northern Ireland).

How Macmillan can help

If you have been diagnosed with cancer we have more information about your employment rights and protection against discrimination.

The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones.

Find out about the different kinds of specialist advice you can get from the Macmillan Support Line.

The Cancer Inequalities Literature Review (2022) carried out by Macmillan found that people who have a disability experience discrimination in cancer care. This can lead to later diagnosis and poorer treatment, care and support.

• People with physical disabilities report challenges accessing certain medical facilities or tests, as these cannot be adapted to meet their physical needs. 
• People with learning disabilities are less likely to take-up screening as they do not receive the support they need to do so.

A lack of accessible information does not just negatively impact diagnosis; it may also have a negative impact on experiences of treatment and care. Without sufficient background information, people will not be able to ask appropriate questions or make informed decisions about their treatment and care. 

Accessing Macmillan information and services

We want to make our information and support available to everyone who needs it:

• Find out about the different ways you can get in touch with our Support Line advisers, including phone, email, chat online, text relay and via an interpreting service.
• Access or request our information in other languages and formats such as Easy Read booklets, audiobooks and British Sign Language videos.
• Read our accessibility statement to find out how we're working to make our information as accessible as possible.