The conversation dives into the financial fallout for cancer survivors, revealing the urgent need for better support systems. Personal stories highlight the struggle to regain stability after a diagnosis. Meanwhile, mortgage rates are in flux following recent Bank of England cuts, with insights on navigating current deals. The podcast also addresses shareholder rights, calling for reforms to ensure investors can easily exercise their voting power. With discussions on critical illness cover and investment principles, it’s both eye-opening and empowering.
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Steve's Cancer Financial Struggle
Steve was diagnosed with kidney cancer followed by spreading cancer during early parenthood with a large mortgage.
He experienced severe financial hardship, relying on family support and charity to survive treatment.
insights INSIGHT
Cancer's Financial Impact On Survivors
Two-thirds of cancer survivors have significant drops in earnings returning to work.
Three-quarters struggle to get back to work at all, evidencing the financial impact of cancer.
volunteer_activism ADVICE
Automatic Benefits For Cancer Patients
Financial support for cancer patients should be provided automatically without complex forms.
Benefits must cover long-term recovery periods, not treated as short-term cases.
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Around 1 in 2 people living in the UK will be diagnosed with cancer during their lifetime according to Cancer Research UK. That stark statistic is a reminder how the disease can impact families up and down the country, but it's not just the health of people diagnosed that can forever be changed. The finances of those who survive the disease can also be devastating too. We'll hear from a man recovering from a cancer diagnosis about how it impacted his life, and speak to a charity that is calling for better financial support for cancer survivors.
As the Bank of England cuts interest rates to 4.25%, we’ll discuss what the best deals are at the moment. Data shows that while some lenders are offering deals at less than 4%, you’d need a big deposit and have to pay a fee, so what is out there and who can get it?
And investment platforms should be required to pass on voting rights to shareholders. That's the call from the trade body, the Association of Investment Companies. If you buy a share in a company you have the right to vote on corporate decisions. At the moment, some investment platforms pass on the right to vote, others require you to opt-in, some don't pass on the rights at all and some even charge to do it. The AIC wants that to change so that all platforms are required to pass on the rights, which would require a change in the law. In response, the Personal Investment Management and Financial Advice Association says a wholesale change to regulation to force this issue could result in significant costs to firms and an overwhelming level of paperwork for customers.
Presenter: Paul Lewis
Reporter: Dan Whitworth
Researchers: Eimear Devlin and Jo Krasner
Editor: Jess Quayle
(First broadcast on Radio 4 at 12pm on Saturday 10th May 2025)
Money Box