Macmillan has stepped-up in London and committed £1.89million to fund welfare benefits partners over the next three years, as part of its pledge to help people living with cancer impacted by the worsening cost of living crisis.

And UK-wide, Macmillan is investing £30million in these vital services.

In addition, Macmillan has also committed a further £4.3million nationally to maintain its Macmillan Grant scheme. Macmillan Grants are a one-off, means tested payment of £350 to help with the extra costs that living with cancer can bring.

In 2021, the advice and support given by four Macmillan-funded partners in London unlocked over £6.9million for those living with cancer, in benefits they were entitled to because of their illness. Across the UK, this amounted to almost £218million.

The free, specialist advice services based at Citizens Advice Barnet, Southwark, Wandsworth, and Toynbee Hall in Whitechapel, helped 2,200 Londoners with cancer.

In total, 61,332 people affected by cancer across the UK, who received advice in 2021, were able to benefit from an additional £3,552.03 per person on average, from the advice given.

Rodrigo Nelson Fenick Figueroa, a Macmillan Benefits Case Worker at Citizens Advice Wandsworth, explained how he and his colleagues across London are helping people with cancer in the capital:
“The welfare benefits system can be a minefield, that many cancer patients have never had to navigate before their diagnosis. But having us there, providing free, expert, and impartial support, gives them confidence.

“Cancer patients are entitled to these welfare benefits, and we can help at any stage of their cancer pathway. We are here for all people with cancer – we can check your eligibility for benefits, or a Macmillan grant, and help fill out forms. We can also deal with any disputes that may arise from a benefit claim.

“And we have extensive knowledge of the other support services that we can signpost people to.

“It’s our goal to make money one less worry, so cancer patients can focus on their treatment and health.”

Yvonne Beadle, Macmillan Strategic Partnership Manager for London, said:
“People living with cancer need to be able to come to terms with their diagnosis and to then focus on their cancer treatment, coping with whatever challenges their treatment involves and achieving the best possible outcome.

“There is also an emotional impact on the person living with cancer as well as a significant emotional impact on close family and friends.

“Financial worries should be the last thing on anyone’s mind when they are diagnosed with cancer, but the financial impact from things such as being unable to work, needing to use more energy for feeling the cold and needing certain foods is all the harder due to the cost of living crisis.

“That is why, thanks to generous donations, Macmillan has prioritised our welfare benefits services in London, to enable people to navigate the best way through for them, identify what’s available and put people’s mind at rest.

“At the very least this should help people to ease the financial worries that take them away from getting the best out of their treatment and recovery.”

To find your local Macmillan Welfare Benefits Service visit macmillan.org.uk/in-your-area and enter your postcode. Or, call the Macmillan Support Line on 0808 808 00 00, open 7 days a week, from 8am to 8pm.