Islington becomes first London council to support ‘Cost of Dying’ campaign

This follows decisions earlier this year from Manchester City Council and Bristol City Council, both of whom have introduced a full council tax exemption policy to protect terminally ill residents, off the back of calls from end of life charity, Marie Curie. To date, the charity has secured commitments from 19 English councils to implement the change, with more expected to follow.

Around 280 people die in poverty every day in the UK, according to Marie Curie's recent ‘ Dying in Poverty’ report. Through the ‘Cost of Dying’ campaign, Marie Curie is calling for councils in England to review the financial support they offer people with a terminal illness and their loved ones.

Islington Council has now committed to look at its council tax support scheme, other discretionary help, and local strategies relating to fuel poverty to ensure that support is available and accessible for low-income households where someone is living with a terminal illness.

Jamie Thunder, Senior Policy Manager for Financial Security at Marie Curie, has said that the end of life should be a time to focus on what really matters – but for too many people, it’s dominated by financial difficulty as their income drops and costs associated with a terminal illness rise:

“Islington Council is to be applauded for becoming the first council in London to commit to supporting terminally ill people financially. Now, it’s crucial they act with urgency to implement the changes and that more councils follow their example, especially with winter well on its way.

“Dying people don't have time to wait. No one dealing with terminal illness should need to hesitate for a moment to put the heating on, or to put food on the table. Our campaign shows that councils can take practical, straightforward steps to enable dying people to focus on what is most important – precious moments spent with loved ones.”

Cllr Flora Williamson, Islington Council’s Executive Member for Finance and Performance, said:

“As a council we are committed to tackling financial insecurity in our borough, and any form of poverty which our residents may face. It is shocking that Marie Curie’s research has found that 26% of people in Islington experience poverty in the last year of their life.

“We provide a strong safety net for low-income residents through our council tax support scheme, Resident Support Scheme and Income Maximisation team (iMAX). But given the particular challenges that people approaching the end of life may face, it is right we ensure that targeted support is available for terminally ill residents who are facing financial hardship.”

The cost of powering at-home medical devices, having the heating on longer and higher to help with symptom management, along with a number of other expenses associated with terminal illness, can all add up to unsurmountable pressures for affected households.

However, as budgets have tightened, many councils in England have reduced the amount of support they can offer regarding council tax bills for low-income residents.

Marie Curie hopes to create a network for Councils, where best practice and advice on the needs of people facing terminal illness can be shared to improve local policies and ways of working.

Since December 2022, Marie Curie has supported over 4,000 people with support and information around energy bills and the cost of living. The charity has a free online benefits calculator and dedicated Energy Support Officers who can talk through benefits and support available from energy suppliers, grants, and give energy efficiency updates.

For support visit mariecurie.org.uk or call the free Marie Curie Support Line on 0800 090 2309.

Marie Curie is also urging the public to sign its petition calling on the UK Government to make actionable changes to fix the cost of dying crisis. The charity is aiming to have 50,000 signatures on the petition before it is handed in to government in January. To sign the petition, visit http://mariecurie.org.uk/campaigns