Cancer patients 'should get winter fuel cash'
CANCER patients receiving treatment are twice as likely to fall into fuel poverty than those without the disease, new research by a leading charity has shown.
A survey by Macmillan Cancer Support found that 19 per cent of cancer patients who had undergone treatment in the last year are in fuel poverty – double official UK figures.
The charity is renewing its calls for the winter fuel payment to be extended to cancer patients in need and the terminally ill.
Heather Monteverde, Macmillan Cancer Support's general manager for Northern Ireland, said:
"Cancer patients tell us they feel the cold more because of their condition. Their bills also rise because they are spending more time at home with the heating on. Often all this comes at a time when patients are unable to work because they are unwell and so their income plummets.''
She pointed out that cancer patients under the age of 60 do not automatically qualify for help.
"This is why we are calling for Westminster to offer cancer patients in need the winter fuel payment," she said.
In Northern Ireland, unlike other parts of the UK, the monopoly gas and electricity companies do not provide a cheaper tariff for cancer patients. Macmillan believes reform by the Utility Regulator is necessary to ensure cancer patients in need receive a fairer deal.
David Murray, 50, from Portstewart, was diagnosed with throat cancer in May last year and found his fuel bills rocketed after he came out of hospital.
David, who has oil heating, struggled to find the 400 he needed to fill the oil tank in his garden and was awarded a Macmillan grant to help him meet the cost.
He said: "After I came out of hospital, because my immune system was down, I felt the cold a lot more and I had the heating on twice as much as usual. I wasn't working and the price of oil had gone sky high so I didn't know how I was going to pay all the bills that were coming in.
"I was very grateful to Macmillan for the grant I received but I do think there needs to be a lot more done to help cancer patients at what is an expensive and difficult time."
Anyone struggling with their fuel bills can get a free fuel poverty fact sheet by calling 0808 808 00 00 or visiting www.macmillan.org.uk/fuelpoverty
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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