Cancer Research UK response to government’s charity package

Cancer Research UK has recently announced a 25% drop in the charity’s income this year and has made the difficult decision to cut £44 million of current research funding. This evening the Government announced a £750 million support package for charities – our chief executive responds:

Michelle Mitchell, Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, said: “This package is a significant first step which will help many charities continue their vital work through these challenging times. But this pandemic is having a profound impact on our life-saving work, so we are joining other charities in asking government to review the level of this support as the crisis continues.

“The impact of COVID-19 on charities will be devastating, with a collective £4.3 billion fall in income expected over the next 3 months. Cancer Research UK is predicting a drop of up to 25% in income this year, and we’ve already had to make the difficult decision to cut some of our research funding and furlough at least 40% of our staff.

“Despite these significant challenges, charities of all sizes have leapt to support the country during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping health services across the UK as well as people suffering from the economic and social impact of coronavirus. Cancer Research UK laboratories across the country are offering essential equipment and expertise to help with testing, and many of our clinical experts have returned to the NHS frontline. We’re also working closely with health systems and other cancer charities to provide the best support and advice to cancer patients.

“We are still committed to saving lives from cancer. But now more than ever we need sufficient support from Government.”