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More than 40% of people with cancer struggle to pay bills, says Macmillan

Macmillan Cancer Support predicts 66,000 people with cancer have missed a council tax payment over the past year and 51,000 have missed a water bill.

Hundreds of thousands of people with cancer are struggling financially because of their diagnosis, a new survey reveals.

The YouGov poll for Macmillan Cancer Support surveyed more than 2,000 adults with cancer across the UK, asking them about their financial situation.

It found that 42% (equivalent to more than a million people with cancer) are struggling to keep up with their household bills and other credit commitments, and one in three of these says it is entirely or partly because of their diagnosis.

John Newlands, a Macmillan information nurse, said there are hidden costs to a cancer diagnosis. 

He said: ‘We often find people are struggling to pay for transport to get to treatment, but also struggling with heating or fuel bills because you feel the cold more if you’ve lost weight or are undergoing treatment. 

‘We find people are struggling to afford clothing when, perhaps, the shape or size of their body is changing or they’re struggling to afford food because their appetite is affected and they are required to eat high energy foods such as unsalted nuts or honey which are typically more expensive.’

Using the data, Macmillan predicts 66,000 people with cancer have missed a council tax payment over the past year and 51,000 have missed a water bill.

It also found that people are trying to keep up with payments by using savings, credit or store cards, bank loans or even selling their belongings or downsizing their homes.

The research suggests one in three people living with cancer had to borrow money in the past year to help pay their bills, the average amount borrowed being £1,270.