
We’re living in unprecedented times. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is affecting every aspect of our lives, our social interactions, our work and our health.
And it’s having a huge impact on businesses and charities, including Cancer Research UK and the people affected with cancer we support.
A few weeks ago, we announced a likely drop of 20-25% in our fundraising income over the coming financial year.
And because of this decline in income, we’ve had to make the difficult decision to cut our research spend.
We’re aware this decision will raise a lot of questions for our supporters, those affected by cancer and our research community, the most common of which we’ve answered in this blog post.
Why is Cancer Research UK cutting research funding?
The COVID-19 global pandemic is causing huge financial strain on charities across the world. And Cancer Research UK is no exception – we’re projecting a 20-25% drop in income this financial year. As this means there’ll be less money available to fund research, we’re having to cut our research spend.
As a research charity which funds almost half of the UK’s cancer research, it’s not a decision we made lightly.
We’re working to mitigate the effects of these cuts as much as possible. But we know that by taking action now, we can protect that charity and ensure that our vital life-saving cancer research will continue long after this pandemic.
What research funding has Cancer Research UK cut?
We’ve made cuts to:
- Our centres and wider infrastructure – funding cut by up to 20%
- Our institutes – funding cut by 5-10%
- Our general funding – funding cut by 5-10%
Altogether, this works out at approximately a £44 million cut to research funding.
We’ve also postponed our funding committees (the scientists and doctors who help us decide what research should be funded) until later this year. This means that no new research projects will be funded for at least the first 6 months of this financial year.
While we acknowledge these cuts are hard, we’re trying to be as flexible as possible with them. We’re letting our centres and institutes decide the best way to spend their reduced pool of money and protect what’s most important for them to deliver their research. And we’re offering all scientists who have a Cancer Research UK grant the same flexibility.
All of these measures have been met with understanding and support from the research community.
We’re also protecting funding for both clinical and non-clinical studentships as best we can, to avoid losing an entire generation of cancer researchers. Taking this approach means that we can continue our mission to beat cancer for decades to come.
What impact will these cuts have on progress in beating cancer?
There’s no two ways about it – the cuts we’re making to our research funding are substantial and will certainly have a negative impact on cancer research in the UK and around the world. However, the extent of this impact will be difficult to quantify both now and in the future.
We’re working hard to minimise the negative impact these cuts may have on progress in beating cancer. Because despite all that’s going on, we’re still committed to beating cancer through our world leading research.
Why are we cutting funding instead of dipping into our reserves?
Like any organisation, we have reserves, which allow us to manage financial risk and short-term instability or loss in income.
Our reserve policy requires us to have enough investments and managed cash to cover a minimum of 3 months’ work. It’s there to be used as a temporary, short-term measure to allow us to keep the organisation running. But it’s not sustainable to keep the organisation running solely on our reserves, as it’s a finite pool of money that cannot get to ‘zero’.
As we have no idea how long this global pandemic will last for, we had to look at a more sustainable way to reduce our spending.
We are going to dip into our reserves to keep the organisation going in the short-term, but we’ve also had to make the difficult decision to cut some of our funding, to make sure we don’t fully deplete our reserves, and to ensure is we’re still standing when this global pandemic over.
What are the Government doing to support Cancer Research UK and its work during this time?
The £750 million package announced by the Government on 9th April was a significant first step in supporting the charity sector more broadly. It includes a £360 million central fund to support charities providing essential services.
But right now, it’s not clear whether Cancer Research UK will be able to access this fund to support our work, such as setting up a testing centre at our research institutes or providing much needed information to cancer patients. We’re seeking urgent clarification from the Government on this, as our press release explains.
Some of the clinical research staff we fund are also choosing to go back to work in the NHS full time during this global pandemic, which we fully support. For those staff who have gone back to work in the NHS, we expect their salaries for this period to be covered by the NHS.
We’re also making every effort to save money by using the Government’s job retention scheme where appropriate and freezing all recruitment. With the temporary closure of our 600 high-street shops across the UK, we’ve already furloughed many of our trading staff, and we’re open to placing more staff on the scheme where appropriate.
For our staff who aren’t accessing support from the Government’s job retention scheme, we’re consulting on a move to 80% hours and pay from May, while our executive board has already taken a 20% pay cut.
How is Cancer Research UK supporting cancer patients right now?
In this difficult, unsettling time, we’re working to provide people affected by cancer with the support and information they need.
Our nurses’ helpline, Cancer Chat forum, information pages and coronavirus blog post are keeping abreast of the COVID-19 guidance from Public Health England, National Health Service England and the devolved bodies.
We’re in close communication with the NHS to ensure that urgent cancer care can continue, and that trusts are following NHS guidance on how to support cancer patients during this global pandemic.
Working collaboratively with other cancer charities, we’re also monitoring the impact the pandemic is having on cancer services and patients across the UK, and collating information on where novel approached to treatment are being adopted. And working to maintain a singular voice so that people affected by cancer have clear, consistent information.
Will any cancer research continue during this time?
Because of social distancing guidelines, universities have partially closed. This means that labs have also had to wind down their activities, meaning experiments and bench research into cancer has stopped.
But this doesn’t mean there’s no cancer research happening. Many of our researchers are continuing to work very productively from home.
They’re analysing their data and writing it up for publication, reading the literature to spark new ideas of how to beat cancer and writing research funding grants for these new ideas, pulling together collaborations with other researchers. All so that when ‘normality’ resumes, they can hit the ground running and be prepared to once again tackle the complex group of diseases that is cancer.
And while no new clinical trials are being set-up and recruitment to existing trials has paused, established trials are still running and people with cancer who are on them are being cared for appropriately.
What role are Cancer Research UK-funded scientists playing in the response to COVID-19?
Across the UK, Cancer Research UK-funded researchers are doing their part to help with this global pandemic.
The majority of our clinical scientists and research nurses have been called back to work in hospitals around the country, something we wholeheartedly support.
And some of our researchers are using their expertise to create COVID-19 testing hubs. For example, in just 2 weeks, our chief clinician Professor Charlie Swanton worked to establish a new testing centre at the Crick for NHS staff.
Those with specialist skills, like Dr Alan Parker in Cardiff are applying them to beating this global pandemic. A world-leading expert in viruses, Parker’s lab has spent years looking at how they could potentially be modified to act as cancer treatments. Now, having been granted essential worker status and adhering to social distancing guidelines, he’s using his labs skills, resources and knowledge to try and find a vaccine against COVID-19.
Other Cancer Research UK-funded scientists are playing their part by helping to set up trials for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments, while many labs are donating resources – from equipment to chemical reagents – to the fight against COVID-19.
Why are you funding work into COVID-19 when cancer patients need your help?
For over 100 years, we’ve invested in biomedical research to achieve our mission of bringing forward the day when all cancers are cured. In doing so, we’ve developed and supported some of the brightest scientific minds in the world.
But right now, there’s an obstacle in the way of this mission – COVID-19. And in order to get back to the business of beating cancer, we must first beat the coronavirus. That’s why we’re playing our part in this global crisis by supporting our doctors who have gone back to the NHS frontline; our researchers who are using their skills to research this virus; and by making our infrastructure across the UK available to those who need it.
Read more: Today our researchers are helping to beat COVID-19 so that ‘tomorrow’ we can get back to beating cancer.
Funding world-leading cancer research and ensuring that people with cancer get the support they need remains our number one priority. But these unprecedented times call for unprecedented measures, measures we’re willing to take in order to ensure that long after COVID-19 has gone, Cancer Research UK remains.
Áine
Comments
Tony Evans July 12, 2020
I have watched your new advert on TV and find it distressing. I’m not sure whether the actor says 1 or 2 of us will get cancer or 1 in 2 will set cancer. Are these figures correct or spoken for the shock effect.
Katie Roberts July 13, 2020
Hi Tony,
New figures released in 2015 estimate that 1 in 2 people in the UK will develop cancer at some point in their lives. As age is the biggest risk factor for cancer, the increase in life expectancy in the UK is the main reason why 1 in 2 people will now get cancer in their lifetime, as we’ve blogged about before. But while there is an increase in the number of people being diagnosed with cancer, survival has doubled in the UK in the last 40 years.
Best wishes,
Katie, Cancer Research UK
Ger Leon June 17, 2020
Hi when is charity shops reopening?
Katie Roberts June 18, 2020
Hi Ger,
Our charity shops will start to reopen to the public from 29 June in England, and 6 July in Northern Ireland. Timescales for shops reopening in Scotland and Wales will vary due to the different lockdown policies in each UK nation. You can read more about store reopenings in our news report.
Best wishes,
Katie, Cancer Research UK
LFrank May 17, 2020
You say that “tomorrow we can get back to beating cancer”. We need this TODAY. There are thousands of people that won’t get their “tomorrow” because of this decision. It’s disgraceful the way cancer patients have been thrown to the wolves in this crisis. Granted Covid19 needs to be addressed but it’s at the expense of cancer and this is unjust in my opinion.
Yvonne thomson May 14, 2020
As with everyone else disappointed that funding has had to cease mean time but totally understand why and glad CRUK is playing apart in the fight to beat virus will continue to support fully
MARIA JONES April 29, 2020
Obviously disappointed with the cut backs To cancer research, which is what I signed up to support, but trusting in your superior knowledge m I will carry on the support level I give, which isn’t much, but helps I know, and trust in your decisions and what you decide to use funding for. Like you, hope funding can soon go back to where it was intended.
Sheila Harper April 28, 2020
You have my support. We must all work together. I will continue with my Direct Debit etc.
Live & Best Wishes to you All
Jacqueline Green April 24, 2020
Well, I was looking for a “Please Donate” at the end of your address but there was none! I would like to make a one-off donation and so, I suspect would many others! Help me and others to help you”
Graham glasgow April 24, 2020
I think people who give money for cancer research should be used for cancer research and nothing else the government should help our own country first hits not there money to give a way its the taxpayers money so i say help our own first
Chrissy April 23, 2020
I’m stopping my direct debit after hearing this. The government should fund covid 19. I feel so sorry for those who have had treatment stopped. Also CEO should take a bigger pay cut.
Jimbo April 23, 2020
Many years ago Oxford University National Cancer Research was asked to make a way of stopping Anthrax via Centre for Computational Drug Design. So they stopped research into cancer and started accelerated research. 10 years of research were completed 4 weeks and so an inhibitor was made and biological weapons destroyed. Now once
again Oxford University National Cancer Research has been asked to contribute with the skills and facilities to find a cure for COVID-19. I personally have DOUBLED my contribution to Cancer Research in the hope that the Centre for Computational Drug Design in the Department of Chemistry, which is funded by the National Foundation for Cancer Research will once again succeed in finding the inhibitor and hence the vaccine
Katie Roberts April 23, 2020
We’ve had a number of questions about continuing cancer research during the pandemic. Funding world-leading cancer research to improve detection, treatment and care remains our number one priority. Although universities and labs have partially closed, many of our researchers are continuing to work productively from home – analysing data, planning experiments, writing up their work and pulling together collaborations with other researchers. But in order to get research fully up and running again, we need to beat coronavirus. That’s why we’re playing our part by enabling our doctors to go back to the NHS frontline and supporting our researchers who are using their skills to research the virus. We expect the salaries of our staff who have gone back to work in the NHS to be covered by the NHS, and we’re seeking urgent clarification on from the Government on whether we can access the £360 million charity fund to support our other work.
Best wishes,
Katie, Cancer Research UK
Debbie Gardiner MBE April 23, 2020
I understand why you’ve made the decisions that you have and support them. I hope you don’t think what I’m about to say is distasteful. It strikes me that legacies in Wills or maybe even just in a witnessed ‘letter of wishes’ could be a route to increase donations. Very sadly lots of people are losing their lives to COVID-19, many are quite young and many won’t have a Will. I have no idea how you could approach this, as it’s it not my area of expertise, but wanted to raise it for your consideration.
Tom Smyth April 23, 2020
Non Hogkins Lung Cancer Bi Lobectomy operation Lung Cancer no. 2 Pulmonary Hypertension. Diabetes. Still alive. Conoravirus is today’s real killer. My small annual donation on its way. SAVE THE NHS
Andre April 23, 2020
I’m not gonna keep giving money anymore. Not giving money to Corona virus, I’m helping cancer research and cancer patients. Government should have money to fight this virus. I pay thousands of pounds (tax) for NHS and so on..so please tell us the correct way to stop donating.
Helen Forman April 23, 2020
As a stage 4 cancer patient with chemo no longer working and access to a cancer drug trial my only hope I am devastated by this decision. Many will die including me. Young people children young adults with families. 1 in 2 of us will have cancer they said how is this right absolute disgrace. Tossed on the scrapheap by you now as well as the uk government. Disgusted angry, upset and feeling defeated no one cares if we die
A Haworth April 23, 2020
Completely agree with the last comment.
A Newman April 23, 2020
Irrespective of the amount of salary reduction taken by your Executives, I was surprised that you did not include an easy facility at the end of your very frank report to encourage existing Donors to increase donations to make up some of the shortfall in funding. The huge amount recently raised by Captain Tom proves that there is are still generous people and money for very worthy causes.
Tina April 23, 2020
I think it’s a shame that cancer patients are not being checked there will be thousands not diagnosed, people who have it worried, understand the rationale behind all this whilst the covid-19 is around but I do worry as a post cancer patient what the future holds for us all
Doreen Hinckley April 23, 2020
Instead of cutting so much funding on research, I am very irritated that your Executive staff are only taking a 20% cut in their salaries. Should have been 50% and that would leave more for funding
Katie Roberts April 23, 2020
Thanks for your questions about salary cuts. We’ve had to make a number of immediate decisions to reduce our spend to ensure we can keep making progress for people affected by cancer – who have never needed us more.
In reducing staffing costs, we felt the approach should be consistent, so our CEO and Executive Board moved to 80% pay from 1 April, and we are now proposing a 20% reduction in both pay and hours for all other staff from May, lasting up to four months. These reductions will save us between £8m and £10m. Around 1,800 of our retail staff have been placed on the Government’s furlough scheme, alongside around 25% of other roles in the charity. We anticipate the furlough scheme will save us around £4.5m.
These changes are short-term measures to help put us in the best long-term position to continue with our life-saving research, and make progress for people affected by cancer in these extremely challenging times. We’re continuing to monitor the situation to help us implement longer-term measures.
Best wishes,
Katie, Cancer Research UK
Karen E April 23, 2020
I am appalled by the ridiculously low Executive Pay Cut – they should be very ashamed ! It is a lot less than the pay cut I have had to take for the greater good of my company for a business that isn’t a charity. I will be discontinuing my support until your very well paid Executives have a change of heart !! I will also look for other ways of supporting those with cancer – charities run by more compassionate and less greedy people.
Steve Williams April 23, 2020
A hard decision in hard times but the right one I believe. I hope people who are removing their donations rethink their decisions as they are making your inability to fund raise worse. Hopefully when this pandemic is over charities like yours will receive the same amount of support that the NHS is receiving now.
Carole Roden April 23, 2020
Thank you for the very comprehensive information. I understand that these are unprecedented times and fully support your decision. Let’s hope that cancer research and treatment can get back to normal, sooner rather than later. Thank you for all you do.
Ali Edkins April 23, 2020
I comment as a cancer survivor! I also have had cancer related deaths and have ongoing illness within my close family.
That said I totally agree with your actions. It is a question of priorities. The emphasis should rightly be on the killer illness which can be resolved soonest. Much as we all want the curse of cancer to be eliminated, Covid19 is currently the greater threat to so many people around the world, as well as to the progress of your research. Your decisions appear to be pragmatic.
Helen Denzey April 23, 2020
I am very upset that you are diverting money from donations for Cancer research into other areas (Covid-19) without discussion/consultation with those people who are making the donations. We need to continue cancer research. A 20% pay reduction to your Executive Board is also disgracefully low – how can they continue to accept any money when you are taking Government funds for the lower paid?? I am so disgusted with your high-handed attitude that I am discontinuing my donations immediately.
Thuốc Điều Trị July 17, 2020
Hope to have technology that can cure cancer soon!