Did you know that cancer patients don’t automatically get help from anyone to stay warm during the winter? No, neither did I… in fact, if I’m truthful, it hadn’t crossed my mind.
However, think of this – let’s say you’re the main (or only) income earner in your family. You get diagnosed with cancer. Your world turns upside down. You can’t work as much, or at all, because of your illness and treatments. Your income stops because you can’t work because you have cancer. It’s winter. It’s cold… and you know every time you switch the heating on, it’s burning up money that you don’t have.
A recent Macmillan survey found that 1 in 5 cancer patients turn the heating off, even though they are cold, because they’re worried about rising fuel bills… and this happens when they should be trying to stay warm, recover from treatments and overcome cancer.
Macmillan is calling for:
- The winter fuel payment is an annual payment of between £125 and £400 made to everyone over 60 to help with fuel bills. They want to see this extended to cancer patients in need, where it could provide immediate help.
- People with cancer should be eligible for social tariffs, and included in the new mandatory price support, which would give them a much-needed discount on their fuel bills.
- Both the government and energy companies should do more to raise awareness of the help available to people with cancer.
