Financial support for cancer patients and their families

Yes, there is financial help for cancer patients and their families in Australia. A cancer diagnosis can bring sudden and unexpected costs, and it often changes how much a family can earn while someone is in treatment or caring for a loved one. Financial support for cancer patients is available, from government payments and grants to help with everyday bills, travel and counselling. You don’t have to work it all out on your own.

This guide explains the main types of financial support for people affected by cancer, who they are for, and how to get help understanding what you may be eligible for.

Is there financial help for cancer patients?

Yes. Financial help for cancer patients comes from a few different places:

• Government payments through Centrelink, for people who cannot work because of cancer and for carers.
• Concession cards that lower the cost of medicines, medical appointments and some everyday bills.
• Grants and one-off assistance from cancer charities, for costs like rent, groceries, utilities and fuel.
• Help with travel and accommodation for people who need to travel for treatment.
• Free support services, including financial counselling and emotional support.

You don’t need to know exactly what you qualify for before you ask. The hard part is often finding what is available and working through the paperwork, and that’s where support services can help.

Why cancer creates financial stress

Financial pressure is one of the most common challenges families face during cancer, and it is nothing to feel embarrassed about.

A diagnosis often means a drop in income, whether because the person with cancer stops working or because a partner cuts back or leaves work to become a full-time carer. At the same time, costs go up. There are treatment and medication expenses, travel to and from hospital, parking, and everyday bills that keep arriving whether or not anyone is well enough to work. For families with a child in treatment, one parent is often at the hospital while the other holds the rest of family life together.

None of this means you’ve done anything wrong. It’s the situation cancer creates, and there is support designed for exactly these pressures.

Types of financial support available

Cancer financial support ranges from regular Centrelink payments to one-off grants, help with everyday bills, and support with travel. The sections below cover the main forms of financial assistance for cancer patients and their families, what each one helps with, and where to start.

Centrelink payments for cancer patients

The Australian Government, through Centrelink, provides payments for people who must stop or reduce work because of cancer, and for people caring for someone with cancer. Which payments apply depends on your situation, your age and, for some payments, your income and assets.

Payments that may be relevant include:

• Disability Support Pension, for a physical, intellectual or psychiatric condition that stops you from working long term.
• JobSeeker Payment with a medical exemption, for people temporarily unable to work due to a medical condition, with a medical certificate from your doctor.
• Youth Allowance, for young people who are studying, an apprentice, looking for work, or unable to meet study or work requirements because of illness.
• Carer Payment, income support for someone providing full-time daily care.
• Carer Allowance, a supplementary fortnightly payment for carers, which is not means tested and can be paid even if the carer is working.
• Family Tax Benefit Part A and Part B, which may change based on a reduced household income.
• Bereavement payments, for families following the death of a partner or child.

A good place to start is the Services Australia Payment Finder, which helps you identify payments you may be able to claim. Most claims are made through a Centrelink online account linked to myGov. If you do not have an account or a Customer Reference Number yet, you can call Centrelink or visit a service centre to get set up.

If you need to call Centrelink, the number is 132 717. There is a good chance you will be on hold for a while, so make yourself a cup of tea and get comfortable before you dial. For more detail on payments and eligibility, see servicesaustralia.gov.au.

Concession cards

A concession card can reduce some of the ongoing costs of treatment. Depending on your circumstances you may be eligible for a Health Care Card, a Low Income Health Care Card, or a Pensioner Concession Card. These can give you access to cheaper medicines under the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme, bulk billed doctor visits, and a lower threshold for the Medicare Safety Net. Depending on your state or territory, a card may also mean discounts on electricity and gas, property and water rates, public transport and vehicle registration.

Grants and one-off financial assistance

Several cancer charities offer grants and one-off payments to help with the practical costs of cancer. Eligibility and what each fund covers vary, so it is worth checking directly or asking a support service to help you apply.

• Redkite provides financial assistance for families of a child or young person diagnosed with cancer, aged 0 to 18, including help with rent or mortgage, essential bills, groceries and fuel.
• Kids With Cancer Foundation offers financial assistance to families to help cover essential household expenses for children with cancer.
• Can Assist provides financial and practical support for people affected by cancer in country New South Wales.
• Rare Cancers Australia supports people with a rare or less common cancer, including help with treatment related costs.
• Cancer Council can connect you with financial counselling and, in some cases, one-off assistance, and can be reached on 13 11 20.

Help with everyday costs and bills

When income drops, everyday costs are often where the pressure lands first. Help can include grants towards rent or mortgage, utilities, groceries and fuel, emergency relief for essential expenses, and hardship programs offered by many electricity, gas and phone providers. No interest loan schemes are also available in many communities for essential items. If you are not sure where to start, a support service can help you work out which of these you can access.

Help with travel and accommodation

Specialist cancer treatment is not always available locally, and travel is a real cost for people in regional and remote areas. Each state and territory runs a Patient-Assisted Travel Scheme that can help with the cost of travel and accommodation when you need to travel a long way for treatment. The scheme name and the rules differ by location. You can find the scheme for your area through healthdirect.gov.au, or ask your hospital social worker. Cancer Council can also help with transport and accommodation in some areas.

Superannuation, life and travel insurance

In special circumstances, such as a serious illness, some superannuation funds allow you to access part of your super early. Many people also have insurance attached to their super, such as income protection or total and permanent disability cover, that they are not aware of. These options have tax and long-term consequences, so it is worth getting advice from a financial counsellor before making a decision. A support service can help you find free, independent financial counselling.

Work, income and your rights

Cancer often affects work, whether that means taking time off, reducing hours, or stopping for a period. You have rights at work during this time, and there are supports to help you manage income while you are not working, or plan a return to work when you are ready. If you are a young person, treatment can also interrupt study, and there is help available for that too.

Help with medical and treatment costs

It is reasonable to ask about the cost of treatment before it goes ahead, and to ask whether the same or a similar treatment is available at lower cost. If you have private health insurance, contact your insurer to check what is covered. The Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme lowers the cost of many medicines, and the Medicare Safety Net can reduce your out-of-pocket costs once you reach a threshold in a calendar year. Talk openly with your treatment team about any concerns, as they can often point you to support.

Financial help for children and young people with cancer

Childhood cancer financial assistance is available from several organisations, because when a child or young person has cancer, most parts of family life are affected. Financial support for families facing childhood cancer includes Redkite, which supports families of a child aged 0 to 18 with essential costs from diagnosis until 12 months after treatment ends, and Kids With Cancer Foundation, which helps with household expenses. Camp Quality provides practical and emotional support for children aged 0 to 15 and their families. Independent teenagers aged 16 to 18 may be able to claim Centrelink payments in their own name. For young people aged 12 to 25, Canteen offers counselling, career and education support, and connection with others in a similar situation.

Financial assistance through Cancer Hub

Cancer Hub is a free service that helps families impacted by cancer, with children and young people aged 0 to 25, access the support they need. It is delivered by Canteen, Camp Quality and Redkite, so one call connects your family to the combined services of all three, along with a wider network of organisations.

When you contact Cancer Hub, the intake team starts by understanding what each member of your family needs. They can then help you access financial, practical and emotional support, including help working through Centrelink and connecting with the Financial Assistance service and counselling. Rather than researching a dozen organisations yourself, you make one call and the team helps you find the right support. You can see everything on offer on our services page.

When financial stress affects your wellbeing

Money worries and emotional wellbeing are closely linked, and financial stress during cancer can take a real toll on the whole family. Support for the practical side and support for how you are coping go together. Cancer Hub can connect you with counselling and individual support for patients, parents, carers, children and siblings, and with grief and bereavement support, alongside help with financial assistance. If you would like to see the phone services available across Australia, our guide to cancer helplines and support services lists them. If you or someone in your family needs to talk to someone straight away, Lifeline is available 24 hours a day on 13 11 14.

Take the first step

You don’t need to know what you are eligible for to reach out. Taking the first step is often the hardest part, and from there you don’t have to work it out alone.

Call Cancer Hub on 1800 431 312 or get support online, and the team will respond within 48 hours to connect your family with the right support, including the Financial Assistance service.