Three things the Government could do to stop people dying in poverty

Our proposals for change could give people living with a terminal illness the financial safety net they urgently need. With the Spring Budget fast approaching, here are three things the UK Government could do to stop people dying in poverty.

We contribute to our State Pension throughout our lives, expecting it to be there to support us when we can no longer work. But those diagnosed with a terminal illness before reaching retirement age are denied this security, despite having paid in for an average of 24 years.

And without that security, one in four terminally ill people of working age die in poverty.

Although some dying people can access benefits, the support available rarely covers the costs and income loss that come with a terminal illness. So we're calling for people living with a terminal illness to have early access to their State Pension and other pensioner benefits, no matter their age.

Our analysis shows that by making this change, the UK Government could almost halve the rate of poverty amongst terminally ill people of working age. It would also significantly reduce the likelihood of anyone falling into poverty following a terminal diagnosis and could be delivered by increasing the existing pensions budget by only 0.1%. It's an affordable change that would give thousands of people the means to live with dignity at the end of their lives.

Expenses soar after a terminal diagnosis, and one of the biggest costs is energy. If you're dying, your bills can be thousands of pounds higher than the average household.

Many dying people have told us they can't afford the energy they need to stay warm, keep pain at bay or power specialist equipment. Particularly if they're under 65 and not eligible for additional support schemes.

Things could get much tougher still after the Energy Price Guarantee increases in the spring. We believe that this increase should be postponed.

We're also calling for the Winter Fuel Payment to be extended to terminally ill people of working age, and for all terminally ill people to be eligible for the Cold Weather Payment and Warm Home Discount. Widening these schemes would come at a relatively low cost to the Treasury but could make an enormous difference to terminally ill people's health and finances.

Raising a family when going through treatment or struggling with the symptoms of a terminal illness can be exhausting, and a logistical nightmare. On top of other financial pressures, many terminally ill parents also have to juggle the costs of paid childcare. The benefits that can help with these costs often come with restrictions, and if a parent has to give up work due to terminal illness it limits what they can claim.

There is no special provision for parents who are dying, and so many are being pushed further into poverty by these inescapable costs. Shockingly, two in three working age terminally ill people with children will experience poverty in the last five years of their life.

Terminally ill parents and their families need targeted support. We're calling for existing support with the costs of childcare to be made available to all terminally ill parents – through Universal Credit, the 2 year old offer, and 30 hours entitlement for 3-4 year olds. Not only would this help families make the most of the time they have left together, crucially it would reduce the financial strain that's putting so many dying people – and their children – at risk of poverty.