Cancer patients in Morecambe and Lancaster offered support to help with cost of living with new benefits advice service

Macmillan Cancer Support and Citizen’s Advice are working in partnership to offer free and confidential advice about benefit entitlements and other financial support available to anyone affected by cancer.

Macmillan is investing almost £500k on the special service, which will be delivered by Citizens Advice partner organisations based in North Lancashire, Rossendale & Hyndburn, Preston, Fylde, Blackpool and Lancashire West.

The service will provide vital support for those facing the double hit of the cost-of-living crisis and a cancer diagnosis, which can have a significant impact on someone’s personal finances, including loss of income due to not being able to work and an increase in costs with frequent travel to hospital.

Phil McGrath, one of the newly funded Macmillan Benefits Advisors based in North Lancashire, said: “People with cancer shouldn’t have to worry about money on top of everything else. Money worries can be extremely stressful, and it is well known that stress has an adverse effect on health. I hope our support will mean more people affected by cancer in Lancashire will be able to focus on what is most important, their health and recovery, rather than worrying about their bills.”

The service will offer free, confidential and expert advice to people affected by cancer about benefit entitlements, financial support available to them and wider issues, such as housing debt and work.

It will bring nine new Macmillan Benefits Advisors to Lancashire and will build on existing services to ensure rising demand for welfare benefits advice can be met and help is more easily available no matter where people live in the county.

Macmillan and Citizen’s Advice are urging anyone in Lancashire who is affected by cancer and worried about their finances to contact the service for advice.

Anyone affected by cancer can be referred to the service by their clinical nurse specialist, or they can talk to a Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Centre team.

Alternatively, they can contact Phil McGrath, their local Macmillan Welfare Benefits Advisor, direct on 07506 902423 or email [email protected].

There is also more support on the cost of living and cancer at https://www.macmillan.org.uk/cancer-information-and-support/get-help/cost-of-living