Macmillan Cancer Support says too many people left vulnerable to financial burden of disease, with figures highlighting folly of government’s welfare plans

About 200,000 people with cancer are living in the most deprived areas of England, leaving them vulnerable to the financial burden of the disease, a study has found.

Macmillan Cancer Support, which carried out the analysis jointly with Public Health England’s Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN), says that with four in five patients facing an average cost of £570 a month as a result of their disease, the findings are extremely worrying.

Macmillan’s chief executive, Lynda Thomas, said: “We know that a cancer diagnosis can often be financially crippling, even more so for those who are already dealing with the highest levels of deprivation. Just as people are often left with the long-term consequences of treatment, so cancer can have a serious lasting impact on finances. More needs to be done to mitigate this as far as possible.”

The analysis, which will be presented at the National Cancer Research Institute (NCRI) conference in Liverpool on Tuesday, also confirms the existence of major health inequalities, with long-term survivors for eight of the top 10 most common cancers more likely to be from the least deprived areas.

There are more than 57,000 women with breast cancer and about 30,000 men with prostate cancer from the most disadvantaged areas of the country, as well as more than 27,000 people with colorectal cancer and at least 11,000 with lung cancer, according to the data.



People with either lung, liver or cervical cancer are almost three times more likely to live in the most deprived areas than those with skin cancer, the researchers found.

Residents of such areas are more likely to be unemployed or on income support. Increased costs faced by cancer patients can include higher heating bills, as they feel colder and spend more time at home, new clothes because of weight fluctuations, abdominal swelling or a colostomy bag or special bras if they have had a mastectomy and travel costs to and from hospitals.

Macmillan said the figures highlight the folly of the government’s plans to reduce the amount received by people entering the employment support allowance (ESA) work-related activity group – for people assessed as too ill to work but capable of taking steps towards employment – by about £30 a week.

Thomas said the government had “a duty to help mitigate the financial impact of cancer, especially for those who are most susceptible. Yet the proposed cuts to ESA payments could leave thousands of people with cancer without a vital financial lifeline at a time when they need it most.”

The changes under the controversial welfare reform and work bill, which will align the level of ESA with jobseeker’s allowance, are intended to incentivise people to return to work.



The Department for Work and Pensions says only a small proportion of individuals whose initial diagnosis is cancer will end up in the work-related activity group and the reduction will only affect new claimants after the legislation comes into effect, not people already claiming ESA.

Julia Verne, head of clinical epidemiology at Public Health England (PHE), said: “This report is a stark reminder that people with cancer living in more deprived areas are still facing major health inequalities. The social causes of health inequalities are often deep rooted and complex, but PHE is committed to tackling the problem.

“Prevention is central to our work and taking action on preventable risk factors, such as smoking, obesity and alcohol, which are all associated with deprivation, is crucial in reducing the growth of cancer in the future.”