Financial cost of cancer for young patients leaving families at breaking point.  Prime Minister, please take action!

Cancer in children and young people has a devastating impact on family finances, during what is already an extremely stressful and anxious time for families.  CLIC Sargent’s Cancer costs research shows that during active treatment parents spend an additional £600 per month on average as a result of their child’s illness.

As costs rise, income often declines, with parents often having to give up work to care for their child in hospital or at home.  CLIC Sargent research found that as a result of their child’s cancer 42% of parents stopped working and 19% took over a year of unpaid leave. Three in five parents (61%) had also accumulated some form of debt, with the main expenses including travel, food and hospital parking. Energy costs were also a significant worry for families.

We don’t believe this is right or fair for young cancer patients and their families.

We urge the government to:

• Conduct an urgent review of all travel assistance available to parents and young people, and make recommendations for reform by the end of 2017;
• Review the financial support available for young cancer patients and their parents who are struggling to meet the costs of their energy bills;
• Ensure all young cancer patients and their parents who visit hospitals in England should be given free or reduced hospital car parking, in line with the other UK nations. The concessions should be publicised so that people are aware of them.

Support our #Cancercosts campaign for change
www.clicsargent.org.uk/cancercosts
@CLIC_Sargent

About CLIC Sargent

CLIC Sargent provides vital emotional, practical, financial and clinical support to young cancer patients and families during and after treatment.  In 2015/2016 we supported over 7,000 children, young people and families. We gave £1.11 million in grants to help young people and families cope with the extra costs of cancer, and secured £1.6 million of benefit entitlements. We also provided 1,339 families with free accommodation at our 10 Homes from Home across the UK.