Government Minister admits that benefits for cancer patients are inadequate

The Minister’s comments came at the end of a debate, secured by Wokingham’s Lib Dem MP Clive Jones. Clive Jones emphasised the financial strain that a cancer diagnosis places on families, with unavoidable additional costs such as an average of £250 a month to travel to the hospital, £140 extra on food due to specialist requirements and necessary hygiene precautions, and an extra £68 a month in home heating due to patients being immunocompromised. To this, Minister Sir Stephen Timms conceded that the current benefits system does not fully support individuals with cancer. 

In his speech Clive Jones also called for a number of critical welfare reforms. Chief among these reforms was Hugh’s Law, a campaign named after 6 year-old Hugh Menai-Davis who sadly died from a rare form of cancer. Hugh’s Law would remove the current 3-month waiting period after a cancer diagnosis to become eligible for benefits - during which time families currently incur additional costs averaging at around £2,100 - and instead enabling patients and their families to receive much needed support from day one. 

Clive Jones, the MP for Wokingham, said: 
“In the debate, the Minister admitted that disability benefits simply aren’t enough to cover the cost of a cancer diagnosis, and yet it is a scandal that he is not seeking to make any changes to fix this despite being fully aware of the crisis. 

“I am disappointed to hear that he will not commit to implementing Hugh’s Law. 

“The 3-month wait for support that families affected by cancer must currently endure is inexplicable, as a cancer diagnosis is proof enough that a patient is in need of support. 

“I look forward to hearing from the Minister again soon on this incredibly important topic, but change must come soon. It would make a tremendous difference to young people with cancer and their families.”