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4,00,000 People Struggle Financially Due To Cancer In UK

by Shirley Johanna on Oct 1 2015 5:35 PM

4,00,000 People Struggle Financially Due To Cancer In UK
Nearly 4,00,000 people with cancer in UK face difficulties financially as a result of their condition, according to a Macmillan Cancer Support report.
People are forced to borrow money, sell possessions and cut down on food to pay their bills. The deadly disease is putting patients out of work and piling on extra expenses like travel to hospital, said the report.

It also pointed out the Tories Welfare bill would leave already vulnerable sufferers worse off by £30 a week.

Lynda Thomas, Macmillan chief executive, said, “Today’s findings are truly distressing. No one should have to worry about where money to pay for their heating is going to come from when they’re going through cancer, or be forced to buy less nutritious food when they need it most.”

On the planned benefit cuts, Thomas said, “They could leave ­thousands of people with cancer without a sufficient financial lifeline when they are already struggling.”

A poll by Macmillan among 2,000 patients found that 42 percent had financial troubles – equivalent to 1,050,000 nationally – and, of those, 36 percent said their diagnosis was to blame.

About 32 percent of people living with cancer borrowed money to pay bills in the past year. They owed £1,270 on average. Others saved money by not buying clothes when needed and going for cheaper foods or skipping meals altogether.

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In order to keep up with payments, 34 percent of people have used savings, nine percent rely on a store card or credit card and eight percent have sold belongings such as a car. About four percent have downsized or sold their home and three percent took a loan.

Overall, 32 people of people living with cancer had to borrow money in the past year to pay bills, with the average amount being £1,270. Some 2 percent of patients had borrowed more than £10,000.

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Source-Medindia


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