Cost-of-living crisis impacting families needing palliative care for loved ones, MLAs to be told

The impact of the cost-of-living crisis for those with terminal illness is to be outlined to MLAs to mark Palliative Care Week.

An event is taking place at Stormont on Monday, with charity Marie Curie set to describe how poverty is causing extra stress to families facing end-of-life care for loved ones.

The north is projected to have the highest increase in demand for palliative care in the UK over the next 25 years, with an estimated 20,443 predicted to require it by 2048, compared to 15,443 today.

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• Charity warns of urgent need to improve palliative care before it is too late

Marie Curie senior policy manager for NI, Christine Irvine, said: “We are calling on the government and Stormont to make changes to the social security system to better support people impacted by a terminal illness, which includes early access to their state pension,” Ms Irvine said.

DUP MLA Joanne Bunting, who chairs Stormont's All-Party Group on Terminal Illness, said: “Living with a terminal illness is very expensive. Any paid employment will be significantly impacted and dying people and their carers also face extra costs. I want to see better access to financial support helping with energy costs, financial support for childcare and support for carers."