UK Government commit to £10 million travel Fund in National Cancer Plan for England
Following years of Young Lives vs Cancer’s campaigning alongside children and young people with cancer and our supporters, we’re thrilled that as a result, UK Government will introduce brand new £10 million Travel Fund for all children and young people (0-24) with cancer in England* and their families from 2027. Read more about the announcement.
This Fund will transform their experiences, helping ease their biggest extra financial burden and allowing them to focus on their treatment, instead of worrying about the cost of getting there.
But it doesn’t stop here. We’re now calling for the Travel Fund to be implemented as soon as possible, using the principles in our £10 million Travel Fund model. We’re ready to work with UK Government to make the Fund a success.
The research
- 4,200 children and young people in the UK are diagnosed with cancer every year.
- 71% of children and young people with cancer struggle with the cost of travelling to treatment
- Families spend an average of £250 every month on travelling to treatment
- One in 10 miss or delay treatment because of the cost of getting there
- To help pay for the costs of travelling to treatment, many have had to borrow money or take on debts (31%), cut back on food (27%), sell possessions or assets (20%), or fall behind on bills (20%)
- Only 12% report receiving support that covers their travel costs through existing support – it’s not working.
The story so far
With your tireless support, we’ve been campaigning for a Young Patient Travel Fund since 2016. In that time, we’ve:
- Handed two petitions signed by tens of thousands of supporters to UK Government
- Published 8 research reports, amplifying the experiences of children, young people and families with the costs of travel
- Shared our research in parliaments across the UK, through events, debates and more
- Met with hundreds of elected representatives across the UK to gain support for a Travel Fund
- Built a £10 million Travel Fund model, based on our research, demonstrating how support should work across the UK
- Shared stories and expert insight in the media
- Worked as part of the Children and Young People Cancer Taskforce to propose a Travel Fund is included in the National Cancer Plan for England
- And throughout it all, children, young people and their families have used their voice and campaigned with us, to share how the high cost of travelling to treatment impacted them.
In 2021, we had our first win, when Scottish Government announced the Young Patient Family Fund, to support some under 18s in Scotland with the extra costs that come with staying in hospital, including travelling to treatment, and we continue to campaign for the Fund to be extended to support all under 25s with cancer.
And now, we’re so proud that a Travel Fund for children and young people with cancer has been included in the National Cancer Plan for England, a vital step to ensure that every child and young person in England can access their treatment without cost or delay.
“We as young people have stood together, and we have made some real change.”
Vic started campaigning for better travel costs support for children and young people with cancer when she was diagnosed with cancer at 21 and had to make the expensive journey back and forth from the Isle of Wight to hospital in Southampton for treatment.
Vic shared: “The Isle of Wight where I live were not insured to treat me because I was under 25 – so all of my treatment was in Southampton. All the scans and the appointments and meetings were all from there. At first, I spent up to £80 a day traveling to the hospital, it was absolutely crippling me.”
Vic handed our Travel Fund petition over to 10 Downing Street in 2023 and hasn’t stopped campaigning since.
We’re proud to stand with children and young people like Vic as they use their voices to make real, lasting change.
Watch Vic’s reaction to news that the National Cancer Plan for England includes a Travel Fund for children and young people.
The UK Government Travel Fund
We’re still waiting for more information on how the Travel Fund will work, including when it 2027 it will open. If you’re looking for support with the cost of travelling to treatment, check out our webpages for more information on financial support, including Young Lives vs Cancer grants, and help with travel costs.
*The National Cancer Plan applies to England only, but it is yet to be confirmed whether the new travel Fund will have any implications for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. We’re also continuing to meet with elected representatives in Scottish Parliament about expanding the Young Patients Family Fund, and the Welsh Senedd and Northern Ireland’s Legislative Assembly, to ensure every child and young person in the UK receives the financial support they need to get to treatment.
Take a look at our manifestos for the Senedd and Holyrood 2026 elections where we’re continuing to call for better support with the cost of travelling to treatment.