A fifth see less of family and friends due to money pressures, Macmillan Cancer Support found. Of those, half felt the struggle to pay bills was affecting their physical or mental health and almost a quarter said it was putting a strain on their relationships.
Christopher Jones, Macmillan’s welfare rights and energy team leader, said: “We’re hearing from many people with cancer who are more worried about money than their health – which is just unthinkable.
“People have told us they’ve stopped going out or seeing family and friends to try to save money and this is taking an enormous toll on their wellbeing. Going through a diagnosis is tough enough without being forced into isolation.”
Record numbers are seeking financial support and Macmillan has dished out almost £18million in grants to around 45,000 patients this year – £6million more than last year.
The one-off payments of £350 can help with costs such as energy bills, home adaptations or travel.
The survey of 600 people with cancer suggests the cost-of-living crisis is creating a terrible added burden for thousands who should be focusing on treatment and recovery.
Energy bills were the most common reason patients sought help between January and the start of December this year.
Almost 31,000 who received a cash grant cited energy costs as one of the reasons, more than double the 14,600 people who mentioned it in 2021.
Around 16,300 said they needed help with hospital travel fares and 21,600 with the cost of clothing or footwear, up from 5,600 and 17,000 respectively.
The number needing support with the cost of a bed or bedding rose from 7,900 in 2021 to 9,940 this year. Separate research by cancer support charity Maggie’s recently found one in four with cancer were more worried about the cost of living than diagnosis.
Three quarters of the 500 patients polled said they felt it was affecting their chances of successful treatment. Maggie’s chief executive Dame Laura Lee said the findings of Macmillan’s survey were “saddening and deeply worrying”.
She added: “At a time of year that should be joyful, to find that people with cancer are worrying about money and even missing out on spending time with family and friends is awful.
“We already know from our own research the cost of living is having a dreadful impact – with many people saying they are missing appointments or even considering stopping treatment altogether because they simply can’t afford it.
“Others even say they are thinking about returning to work early to ease their financial situation.”
Research suggests 83 percent of patients face a significant financial burden, with additional costs averaging £891 per month. Many see earnings plummet as they are forced to give up work. And some feel the cold more due to side effects, pushing up energy costs.
Macmillan, which relies on donations for 98 percent of its income, has launched its first emergency grant appeal to ensure people can weather the storm.
The funds will be ringfenced to provide cash support. Minesh Patel, the charity’s head of policy, said: “Macmillan is doing whatever it takes to give people living with cancer the support they need.
“However, with the high number of people calling on us, we have far exceeded the amount we typically give out in grants this year. We can’t do this alone.”
Young Lives vs Cancer, a charity that supports children and young people under 25, has also launched a crisis fund to provide more grants of up to £350 for those struggling.
A Government spokesperson said: “We are protecting the most vulnerable, including cancer patients, from the pressures of rising prices with a package worth £26billion in the next financial year. We are working at pace to improve outcomes for those with cancer.
“In October, more than nine out of 10 of people started their first treatment within one month of receiving a decision to treat and we’re offering millions of extra scans at our community diagnostic centres to help speed up diagnosis.”
A government spokesperson said: “We are protecting the most vulnerable – including cancer patients – from the pressures of rising prices with a package worth £26 billion next financial year, which includes our Energy Price Guarantee, capping the typical household bill at around £2,500 and saving £900 to April.
“We are working at pace to improve outcomes for those with cancer. During October, more than nine out of 10 of people started their first treatment for cancer within one month of receiving a decision to treat, and we’re offering millions of extra scans at our community diagnostic centres to help speed up diagnosis – with 91 centres open so far and over 2.4 million additional scans, tests and checks delivered.”
