Cancer Talk Week
This week (25-29 January) is 'Cancer Talk Week' - an annual cancer awareness raising event, created by Macmillan Cancer Support.
Reducing loneliness is the theme this year. New YouGov research shows that 1 in 3 people affected by cancer recently felt lonely or isolated - but a worrying 88% wouldn't want to make their feeling 'someone else's problem'.
Macmillan hopes to raise awareness of the services it provides - including their newly relaunched Online Community - and encourage people to share their experiences with others so that they don't face cancer alone.
Financial difficulties
The YouGov research also revealed that around 1 in 10 people don't know where to find support.
Here at Turn2us, we know, from the contact we have with our service users, that this often includes financial help. Living with cancer can have an enormous impact on a person's financial situation. Yet talking about money and admitting that you are struggling can be very difficult and increase a person's sense of isolation and loneliness. So, in Cancer Talk Week, we want to highlight the help that may be available to people living with cancer through benefits, grants and other financial support and how Turn2us tools can help you.
Benefits
If you have cancer or are caring for someone who does, you may be entitled to benefits.
Our Illness, Injury and Disability information section explains what help might be available to you through benefits such as Employment and Support Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and schemes available to help with essential costs such as housing bills.
We also have a Carers information section, which includes pages on Carer's Allowance and Carer's Credit.
To check your entitlement, you can use our Benefits Calculator.
Grants
Help may also be helpful to you through grants and other help from charitable funds, based on your background, circumstances and needs.
This might include funds that help people on low incomes or in need who:
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Are living with cancer, such as the Macmillan Cancer Support Grants Scheme and the Cancer Recovery Foundation
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Are ill, have a disability or are caring for someone
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Work or have worked in a particular job, profession or industry
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Have a particular faith or nationality
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Live in a particular area of the UK
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Are of a specific age group, e.g. ‘older people’ or ‘children and ‘young people aged under 18’.
Many funds also help the dependents of people their fund supports – e.g. their partners, ex-partners or dependent children.
You can use our Grants Search to find funds that might be able to help you. There is more information on how charitable funds and the Grants Search work on our Find Benefits and Grants page
Find an Adviser
If you need advice on your particular situation, our Find an Adviser tool can help you find local experts, including Citizens Advice offices in your area.
Macmillan Cancer Support
Macmillan Cancer Support is a national charity supporting anyone affected by cancer.
For more information on its wide range of services:
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Call the Macmillan helpline on 0808 808 00 00 (Monday to Friday, 9am–8pm) - free from landlines and some mobile networks - see the Macmillan website information on Calling their Support Line.