Scarborough and Whitby MP Welcomes £10 Million Travel Fund for Young Cancer Patients

Alison Hume MP has welcomed a significant government initiative to cover the travel expenses of children and young people receiving cancer treatment, highlighting the particular impact the move will have on families along the Yorkshire Coast.

The new financial support package, worth up to £10 million per year, was announced by the Department of Health and Social Care as a central pillar of the National Cancer Plan. The fund is designed to ensure that no family is left out of pocket while their child undergoes treatment, regardless of their household income.

Support for Rural and Coastal Families

For many living in the region, accessing specialist oncology care requires long-distance travel to expert centres. MP Alison Hume noted that the new plan specifically addresses the challenges faced by those in more isolated areas.

Reflecting on the announcement and its local relevance, Hume stated:

"We've just delivered a cancer plan with a specific kind of focus on coastal communities which will target staff shortages, expand specialist training, and accelerate the use of cutting edge technology. And that's been welcomed by Yorkshire Cancer.

It's been a long campaign, but we're going to cover the travel cost for parents who've got children diagnosed with cancer.

It's terrible if you've got a child who is suffering from cancer and then worrying about the actual costs of getting somewhere and in a rural area like ours that's particularly relevant.

So I'm really pleased that those costs have been covered."

The government confirmed that the National Cancer Plan includes dedicated measures to improve access to specialists in coastal communities, acknowledging that these areas often face unique barriers to care.

Easing a "Significant Financial Burden"

The financial strain of a cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming. Data indicates that more than a third of families must travel over an hour to reach one of England's 13 specialist cancer centres. These journeys often occur several times a week and can continue for months or even years.

Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting asserted that families should not have to "fight the system" while their child is fighting for their life. Streeting remarked:

"When a child is diagnosed with cancer, their family’s only focus should be on helping them recover and getting them well, not on whether they can afford the petrol or bus fare to get to their next appointment. This small change will make the world of difference to parents."

The government noted that for some households, the cost of travel has forced parents to make impossible choices, such as heating their homes for fewer hours or going without nutritious food. Victoria Ward, a young cancer survivor, described how she once struggled to cover parking costs that were equivalent to her weekly food budget, eventually leading her to give up her flat.

A Holistic Approach to Care

The travel fund is part of a broader commitment to transform paediatric oncology. Professor Peter Johnson, National Clinical Director for Cancer at NHS England, stated that the fund ensures families do not have to choose between being at their child’s bedside and covering the cost of getting there.

In addition to financial support, the National Cancer Plan introduces several reforms aimed at improving the patient experience:

• Improving hospital food standards to ensure young patients have access to high-quality, child-friendly meals.
• Standardising mental health support for all young patients during diagnosis, treatment, and long-term follow-up.
• Expanding genomic testing and speeding up diagnosis to catch cancers at their most treatable stage.

Charity leaders have hailed the move as a "historic moment." Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive Officer of Young Lives vs Cancer, noted that the organisation has campaigned for a travel fund for nearly a decade, citing that some families had been forced into debt or even missed treatments due to the estimated £250 monthly cost of hospital travel. The full National Cancer Plan is scheduled for publication on 4 February 2026.