New data highlights that National Cancer Plan must deliver travel costs support and improved diagnosis for children and young people

“Now is the time for UK Government to make sure the National Cancer Plan provides the support children and young people need.”

Children and young people have a unique experience when it comes to cancer, and they deserve care and support that meets their distinct needs, which can only be achieved by hearing directly from them and their families, and acting on their experiences.  

Every year, children under 16 and their parents or carers in England complete the Under 16 Cancer Patient Experience Survey (CPES) to share feedback about their care. Young people age 16-24 share their feedback by completing the National CPES.  

The results from the fifth Under 16 CPES (published 6 November 2025), combined with data for 16–24-year-olds (published earlier this year), highlight the latest experiences across England, and further evidence why the upcoming National Cancer Plan must address two major challenges that children and young people continue to experience – the burden of travelling to their treatment and the unavoidable costs of this, and difficulties in getting their diagnosis.  

When asked about how long they had to travel to get to their main treatment centre, almost two in five (38%)] of children (under 16) and their carers report travelling an hour or more, [which has increased from a quarter (25%) in 2020]. These lengthy travel times are driven by needing to regularly travel to one of 14 specialist Principal Treatment Centres in England, which are usually far from home and an average 80-mile round-trip away.  

Young Lives vs Cancer’s research shows children and young people travel twice as far and spend twice as much as adults to access their care, and this costs around £250 every month. Most (71%) struggle with these costs and one in 10 miss or delay their treatment as a result. This is why we continue to call for UK Government to take the opportunity of the National Cancer Plan to introduce a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund to support travel costs. Because no child, young person or their family should have to decide if they can afford to get to treatment.

When it comes to receiving their diagnosis, this latest data continues to show inequalities between young cancer patients and adults. More [than two in five children (42%) and young people (46%) are still seeing their GP three or more times about their cancer symptoms before being told to go to hospital, compared to the majority of adults (62%) seeing their GP just once. This has been consistent over several years, with little improvement seen for children and young people. It’s essential that the National Cancer Plan takes targeted steps to address these disparities and improve diagnosis experiences.  

The National Cancer Plan is now expected to be published in early 2026, and these latest CPES results show why the Plan must finally provide the support and improvements children and young people desperately need right now.  

Hear from Rachel Kirby-Rider, our Chief Executive, about the latest CPES results:  

 

Responding further to the results, Rachel says;  

“Today’s Under 16 CPES results are further evidence that the financial, emotional and real-life impacts of cancer on children, young people and their families are not going away. Now is the time for UK Government to act and make sure the National Cancer Plan provides the support they need.   

“While it’s great to see that most continue to report being well looked after by healthcare staff, and being told about charities like Young Lives vs Cancer and the support that we provide, there are crucial areas where improvement is needed. 

“As the data shows, right now families are spending hours travelling to get to hospital, often several times a week, with many left making unimaginable decisions like whether to put food on the table or fill the car up with petrol, or whether they can get to their treatment at all because of the costs.   

“And again in this year’s data, we’re still seeing children and young people visiting their GPs and other health services many times before being referred and diagnosed with cancer – time they cannot afford to wait.  

“The UK Government is currently drafting the upcoming National Cancer Plan, and we’re pleased they’ve already committed to including children and young people’s needs in the Plan, but for it to work it must meet all their needs. It must address the real experiences of children, young people and their families, as shown in today’s results and our research. Young people with cancer and their families need a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund and improvements in diagnosis so they get the treatment and support they need as soon as possible.” 

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2024 Survey Results – More Detail 

The 2024 CPES results continue to show positive trends noted in previous years, across several areas, with the majority of children (under 16) and their carers (97%) saying they were looked after well or very well, and the majority of young people (16 -24) scoring their overall care as between 8 and 10 (88%)” 

The results also positively show that most parents and carers (86%) and young cancer patients (75%) continue to be provided with information about charities, including Young Lives vs Cancer, which they can talk to about their cancer.   

However, the latest CPES results across under 16s and 16-24s show that much more needs to be done to improve experiences in key areas including getting a diagnosis, travel to treatment, financial support and overall wellbeing.  

Getting a Diagnosis  

Question: “Before you were told you / your child needed to go to hospital about your / their cancer or tumour, how many times did you / they see a GP (family doctor) about the health problem caused by the cancer or tumour?”  

	Under 16s	16-24s	Over 25s
Once	39%	29%	62%
Two or more times*	61%	71%	38%
Three or more times*	42%	46%	21%

 

The proportion of young cancer patients having to repeatedly visit their GP before diagnosis has remained consistently high over several years, in striking comparison to most adults visiting their GP only once. It’s vital that signs and symptoms of cancer in children and young people are spotted as early as possible, so they get the care and support they need as soon as possible and deliver the best possible outcomes. This must be addressed as a priority in the National Cancer Plan.  

Travel to Treatment  

Question: “How long does it take to get to the hospital where your child receives most of their cancer or tumour care?” ** 

	Under 16s
About an hour or under	62%
Over an hour	38%

Children and young people with cancer often travel regularly to specialist Principal Treatment Centres, which are usually far from home and an average 80-mile round-trip away. Our research shows that on average they travel 350 miles every month, and this costs around £250 every month. With seven in 10 (71%) struggling to meet the costs of their travel, and one in 10 missing or delaying their treatment as a result, it’s essential that a Young Cancer Patient Travel Fund is introduced with the National Cancer Plan.  

Financial Support  

Question “Do you have enough information about how to get financial help or any benefits you might be entitled to?”  

	Under 16s	16-24s	Over 24s
Not receiving any information	7%	9%	28%
Not receiving enough information**	30%	–	–

A third (30%) of parents or carers did not receive enough information about the financial help and benefits they might be entitled to following their child’s diagnosis. Understanding the financial support available as soon as possible is a vital lifeline for many, as our research  shows the additional costs of cancer impact immediately, and average an extra £700 every month. Outside of the National Cancer Plan, we’re also calling on UK Government to provide access to disability benefits from the point of diagnosis, to end the delays children, young people and families experience.  

Mental Wellbeing  

Question: “Have hospital staff given you information about any of the following people you can chat to about your/your child’s cancer or tumour?”**  

	Under 16s
Parents and carers informed about a psychologist or counsellor	56%
Children and young people informed about a psychologist or counsellor	55%

Many children and young people (45%) and parents and carers (44%) were not given information about a psychologist or counsellor that they could talk to about their cancer. We know that for children, young people and their families, cancer is more than medical and impacts your emotional wellbeing and may other aspects of your life too. We hope that the National Cancer Plan will recognise this and take steps to better support psychosocial needs, alongside clinical care.   

Support After Treatment  

Question “If your child’s treatment has finished, did you receive enough ongoing support after it ended from the hospital?”** 

	Under 16s
Parents and carers receiving enough ongoing support after treatment ends	63%

 

Around two in five (37%) parents or carers still report needing more ongoing support after treatment ends, highlighting concerns we often hear from young people and families of not receiving enough, or the right, support once treatment has finished, and area we also hope the National Cancer Plan will take steps to address.  

*grouped categories 

**question asked in Under 16 CPES only  

The full CPES and Under 16 CPES results are available online.