Cancer Research UK cuts research funding by £44m as charities struggle
Leading charity says fight against disease could be set back many years
Cancer Research UK says the fight against cancer could be set back by several years due to a dramatic fall in income during the coronavirus pandemic.
The leading charity is cutting research funding by £44m because it expects income to drop by up to 25% as a result of the crisis.
Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation, explained that the charity funds nearly 50% of cancer research in the UK, and that “making cuts to research funding is the most difficult decision we have had to make”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
He added: “We are hopeful that limiting our spending now will enable us to continue funding life-saving research in the long run.”
The charity told The Guardian the impact of the new coronavirus has been significant, saying its “shops had closed, mass fundraising events had stopped and legacies had reduced”. This has led to a reduction of around £120 million in income.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For a round-up of the most important stories from around the world - and a concise, refreshing and balanced take on the week’s news agenda - try The Week magazine. Start your trial subscription today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Several charities have complained of a fall in income recently. The Conversation says the pandemic is a “perfect storm” for charities: an increase in demand for services at the same time as volunteers are forced to stay at home and donations are drying up.
“From food banks to mental health experts, the charitable sector is providing plenty of people with support in these troubled times,” says the BBC, “but charities themselves are reeling from the financial impact of the crisis”.
This perfect storm is expected to lead to a total loss in charity income of £4.3 billion over a 12-week period. The first aid charity St John Ambulance Association, which is helping the NHS cope with coronavirus cases, said it could go bust in August unless it receives state aid.
Caron Bradshaw, chief executive of the Charity Finance Group, said on Twitter that the charity sector requires its own package of support from the government.
“Please recognise the impact losing charities - big and small - will have on our society,” she wrote.
“Charities are to society what bees are to the environment. We work away, often in the background, often unnoticed.”
Pressure is now mounting on chancellor Rishi Sunak after more than 100 parliamentarians - including several Conservatives – demanded an “immediate injection of money” to stop charities going to the wall, reports PoliticsHome.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Today's political cartoons - November 2, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - anti-fascism, early voter turnout, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Long Covid: study shows damage to brain's 'control centre'
The Explainer Research could help scientists understand long-term effects of Covid-19 as well as conditions such as MS and dementia
By The Week UK Published
-
FDA OKs new Covid vaccine, available soon
Speed read The CDC recommends the new booster to combat the widely-circulating KP.2 strain
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Mpox: how dangerous is new health emergency?
Today's Big Question Spread of potentially deadly sub-variant more like early days of HIV than Covid, say scientists
By The Week UK Published
-
What is POTS and why is it more common now?
The explainer The condition affecting young women
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Brexit, Matt Hancock and black swans: five takeaways from Covid inquiry report
The Explainer UK was 'unprepared' for pandemic and government 'failed' citizens with flawed response, says damning report
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Should masks be here to stay?
Talking Points New York Governor Kathy Hochul proposed a mask ban. Here's why she wants one — and why it may not make sense.
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Covid might be to blame for an uptick in rare cancers
The explainer The virus may be making us more susceptible to certain cancers
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Long Covid and chronic pain: is it all in the mind?
The Explainer 'Retraining the brain' could offer a solution for some long Covid sufferers
By The Week UK Published