Costs of cancer leaves middle-aged sufferers forced to borrow from their parents, charity warns

Thousands of middle-aged people are being forced to borrow money from their parents because of the cost of having cancer, a charity has warned.

New estimates from Macmillan Cancer Support suggest that more than 30,000 people with cancer in their 40s and 50s have had to borrow money from their elderly parents, as a result of extra costs and lost income.

And more than 2,000 have moved in with their parents or parents-in-law after having to sell their house.

Lynda Thomas

Macmillan Cancer Support says that people are having to borrow from the “Bank of Mum and Dad” because of the costs of cancer, such as travel to and from hospital as well as loss of income because they are too unwell to work.

And 28 per cent of cancer sufferers - an estimated 700,000 people - are vulnerable to poverty because they have no savings to fall back on, according to the report based on a survey of more than 2000 cancer survivors.

Research by the charity suggests that cancer costs patients an average of £570 a month in lost income or increased expenditure.

Lynda Thomas, charity chief executive said: “It is heart-breaking that people in their 40s and 50s with cancer might have to go cap in hand to their parents to ask for money simply to keep a roof over their head or put food on the table. The cost of cancer is leaving people embarrassed, ashamed and dependent.

“Borrowing money could cause tension amongst families at a time when people need support more than ever. While Macmillan is here for anyone facing money worries, we also need the Government, healthcare professionals and the banking and insurance sector to play their part to ease this burden.”

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Terry White, from Nottinghamshire, was 56 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma. He said: “Life before cancer had been comfortable. I’d worked hard and saved hard but six months into an eight-month chemo regime our savings had dwindled to nothing and our finances had spiralled out of control.

“I had to claim benefits for the first time in my life, with the threat of our home being repossessed hanging over us. It got so bad that I had to borrow £2,000 from my 78-year old parents.  It was deeply embarrassing that at this time in my life I was going cap in hand to ask for their support.”

An NHS England spokesman said: "NHS England has been working with Macmillan Cancer Support to roll out the ‘Recovery Package’ which will help ensure patients have more personal care and support from the point they are diagnosed.

"For a patient this means working with their clinician to develop a comprehensive plan outlining not only their physical needs, but also other support they may need, such as help at home or financial advice."