New Marie Curie research shows people’s experiences of poverty at the end of life
- Area of Work: The ALLIANCE
- Type: News Item
- Published: 12th May 2022
Marie Curie and Loughborough University publish a report into extent of poverty at the end of life in the UK.
Marie Curie and Loughborough University Centre for Research in Social Policy have published Dying in Poverty: Exploring poverty at the end of life in the UK (this link will take you away from our website).
The research has found that being terminally ill and reaching the end of life can substantially increase a person’s risk of experiencing poverty. The double burden of income loss and increased costs brought on by terminal illness can force those who were already on the threshold, below the poverty line.
Key findings from the research for Scotland show:
- 8,200 people in Scotland experience poverty at the end of life, this means 1 in 4 people of working age and 1 in 8 pensioners.
- Working age people with dependent children are more likely to experience poverty at the end of life.
- Areas of high deprivation in Scotland are linked with the areas most affected by poverty at the end of life.
Marie Curie’s core policy asks of Scottish Government:
- To increase the Scottish Child Payment beyond the standard rate for terminally ill claimants with dependent children.
- A whole-system approach to tackling deprivation and poverty in parallel.
- Extending eligibility of the upcoming Winter Heating Assistance to all terminally ill people under 65.
Marie Curie’s core ask of UK Government:
- To pay the State Pension to terminally ill people of working age.
The full Scottish briefing is available here, with all 32 Local Authority breakdowns of poverty at the end of life for working age people and pensioners.
The full UK report is available here (this link will take you away from our website).
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