Charities urge government to consider changes in Timms Review to support cancer patients struggling with costs during treatment

One charity found young people with cancer have to pay out an extra £700 a month, yet wait an average of eight months from diagnosis to receive PIP payments 

Today (Wednesday 27 May), a group of UK charities supporting people with cancer have written a letter to Sir Stephen Timms MP, Minister of State (Department for Work and Pensions) and the Co-Chairs of the Timms Review, ahead of the end of the Review’s call for evidence to ensure changes made to the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) system consider the needs of cancer patients. The charities are repeatedly hearing from cancer patients, who already struggle financially, who want to make sure their needs and concerns are considered within the review. 

The Cost of Waiting report published by Young Lives vs Cancer, the leading UK charity for children and young people with cancer and their families, shows 3 in 5 young people faced extra costs within one month of their diagnosis and 1 in 2 young people with cancer had to borrow money to cover these extra costs. Young people with cancer face an extra £700 a month in costs, yet have to wait on average eight months from diagnosis to receiving payments from PIP.  

Research by Anthony Nolan found the average loss of annual income after a stem cell transplant is £30,000, at a time when patients also face extra significant extra costs like travel, accommodation and food while in hospital. 

Charities, including Young Lives vs Cancer, Anthony Nolan, Bone Cancer Research Trust, Maggie’s, Shine Cancer Support,  Kidney Cancer UK,  Leukaemia Care, Salivary Gland Cancer UK, The Brain Tumour Charity and Young Tongues are concerned that the financial impacts that cancer patients currently face will only get worse if their needs are not considered within the Review and if further restrictions to PIP are proposed.  

The charities are calling for the following to be considered within the upcoming review: 

1. Steps to ease the administrative burden of a PIP application for patients  

2. The criteria for PIP to adapt to better reflect the complex, individualised needs of people living with disabilities and long-term health conditions. 

3. Government to make the PIP assessment and evidence-gathering processes fairer and more accessible for patients with serious health conditions and disabilities. 

These considerations have been submitted by the charities, which have been informed by the experiences of the cancer patients they support across the UK.  

Rosie Wright, 22 from Carnforth, was diagnosed with leukaemia in March 2024 while at university. She applied for PIP while on treatment but had to wait three months from her initial diagnosis to apply and said the process was long and difficult, all at a time when she was extremely drained from the chemotherapy. Rosie and her family faced many costs during her care, most significantly for travel, as they had to drive over an hour each way, from their home to Manchester, for her treatment. 

“I was informed that I wouldn’t be able to apply until I had had my diagnosis for three months, by then I had finished chemo and was about to have my stem cell transplant, the final stage of my treatment. Once I was awarded PIP, I was well into the recovery from my transplant, meaning that I was unable to receive the support when I needed it most.  

“Furthermore, the application is long and arduous. Having to fill out so many forms while on treatment, which for me caused fatigue and brain fog, was extremely taxing. It’s the last thing you want to be doing while you are so unwell.” 

A stem cell transplant recipient from London, shared: “Going through chemotherapy and a stem cell transplant is incredibly overwhelming. At a time when I was physically and emotionally drained, the PIP and benefits setup made accessing the resources I needed very difficult. I received little to no support with applications and I struggled to navigate the system. The current PIP application process is not fit for purpose and must adapt to be more individualised, flexible, and accessible.  It must also crucially offer support quickly, when people need it most.” 

In today’s letter to the Minister of State and Review Co-Chairs, the charities say: “Across all of our charities, we consistently hear from patients, parents and carers about how challenging the PIP application process and its ongoing administration is… Government must remove the heavy administrative load which the current PIP application process places on people facing a medical and financial crisis. We would welcome the introduction of streamlined application processes triggered by certain diagnoses and treatment pathways, and enhanced support services for those applying for PIP. 

“Many of the patients we represent apply for PIP following a cancer diagnosis— and whilst cancer is a registered disability, the current PIP criteria doesn’t reflect the complex realities of those living with and beyond cancer…. The PIP assessment criteria must be constructed to enable patients to give a full and accurate picture of their needs, ensuring they receive the right support.