Autumn Budget 2024: What does it mean for cancer in Yorkshire?

The new Labour government has delivered its first Budget in 14 years - a historic moment as it was the first ever Budget by a female Chancellor. Promising to “fix the NHS and rebuild Britain”, the highly anticipated announcement by Leeds West and Pudsey MP Rachel Reeves presented an important opportunity for politicians to help to change Yorkshire’s cancer story.

Every 17 minutes, someone in Yorkshire is told they have cancer, and the region has a rate of diagnosis that is higher than many other parts of England. 1 in 2 cancers in the region are diagnosed at a late stage when it’s often harder to treat.

Making early diagnosis a priority, improving cancer treatment, increasing focus on cancer prevention and supporting fairer investment in cancer research for Yorkshire are four key areas the charity has been calling on the Government to urgently address via the introduction of a long-term, dedicated cancer strategy.

In this blog, we look at some of the new measures that were announced in the Budget, the impact they could have in Yorkshire and what more needs to be done.

In Yorkshire, 12.4% of adults smoke compared an average of 11.6% in England. Yorkshire’s smoking rate is also decreasing more slowly than the England average.

The Government is aiming to reduce England’s smoking rate to 5% by 2030, but analysis by Yorkshire Cancer Research estimates that at the current rate of decline, neither Yorkshire nor England will reach this target until 2043.

What has changed?

The Government has announced a new tax on tobacco, which means the cost of cigarettes will increase. Research has shown that increasing the cost of tobacco encourages people who smoke to cut down and discourages people from taking up smoking – so this is welcome news.

What more could be done?

These measures could have gone further. To fully address the burden of smoking on thousands of families in our region, Yorkshire Cancer Research is calling for the introduction of a “polluter pays levy”, which would require tobacco manufacturers to pay increased taxes. This could raise an additional £700 million which could then be invested into stop smoking services and used to increase participation in these services – helping to reduce smoking rates while ensuring that the tobacco industry, and not just people who smoke, takes responsibility.

Yorkshire Cancer Research believes vaping products have a significant role to play in saving lives by reducing harm from tobacco. Evidence shows vaping is far less harmful than smoking when used as a stop smoking tool. They are the most popular smoking aid in England and there is strong evidence they effectively support people who smoke to quit.

What has changed?

A tax of £2.20 per 10ml bottle of vape liquid will be introduced from October 2026. Yorkshire Cancer Research is concerned that this could reduce the appeal of vaping products for people who smoke and discourage them from switching to a much less harmful alternative form of inhaling nicotine.

While the charity believes that if people do not smoke, they should not vape – and agrees with the need for a range of measures to reduce youth vaping including packaging and advertising restrictions - those that will feel the brunt of this tax will be the most vulnerable who are unable to afford the increased cost of the stop smoking aid.

In the absence of affordable options, it is possible that many of those on limited means will be forced to seek alternative, illegal suppliers of vaping or tobacco products if they are unable to meet the increased costs of legal products.

Access to vaping products for people with low or no income will be further impacted by a ban on more affordable disposable vapes, which is set to come into force in June 2025.

How can this be addressed?

At the very least, vaping products purchased by the NHS or NHS-affiliated organisations providing stop smoking services should be able to gain relief or exemption from this duty.

In some parts of Yorkshire, people with cancer are less likely to receive timely treatment than the national average. In 2023/24, 11 of the 12 Yorkshire NHS Trusts did not meet the Government’s target for 85% of patients to begin their treatment within 62 days of urgent referral, with some areas seeing fewer than 1 in 2 people treated in time.

What has changed?

The Government has announced a £22.6 billion increase in healthcare spending as part of its commitment to deliver 40,000 extra NHS appointments and ultimately reduce waiting times. This included a £70 million commitment to provide more radiotherapy machines and £1.5 billion to fund, among other things, more than 1.25 million additional diagnostic tests. Together this funding should improve rates of early diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Chancellor Rachel Reeves saw first-hand the importance of early diagnosis when she visited the charity’s Leeds Lung Health Check programme last month.

What more could be done?

The Government has also committed to reforming patient care, enhancing patient choice and embedding best practice across the country.

As part of this commitment, Yorkshire Cancer Research recommends that rehabilitation and prehabilitation services are fully embedded in cancer patient care to improve both the experience of people with cancer and increase their likelihood of survival.

Evidence shows that exercise before, during and after a cancer diagnosis can increase treatment options, reduce side effects and speed up recovery from cancer treatment. It can also reduce the risk of cancer coming back and reduce the risk of dying from cancer.

Despite making up 8% of the UK population, Yorkshire receives under 5% of health research funding. This means fewer cancer patients in Yorkshire are receiving access to life saving clinical trials than in other areas of the UK.

What has changed?

The Government has committed to protecting research and development budgets, alongside increasing funding for the National Institute for Health and Care Research.

A “Research and Development Missions Programme” will also be established to address specific challenges including advancing healthcare. With an initial £25 million investment, the initiative aims to “turn scientific advancements into real-world benefits and improve public services” in partnership with private and third-sector organisations.

What more could be done?

Research and innovation drives up patient care standards. For example, research-active hospitals lead to better care and improved outcomes for patients. It is vital that any increase in medical research funding is distributed proportionally across the UK. This will ensure that innovative treatments are accessible to more people across Yorkshire.

Yorkshire Cancer Research will seek to ensure that Yorkshire’s voice is included in the development of new research programmes so that everyone, no matter where they live, receives the very best possible treatment and care.

While yesterday’s Budget announcement included some welcome measures, much more is needed to achieve Yorkshire Cancer Research’s mission to help people live longer healthier lives, free from cancer.

Moving forward, the charity will continue to engage with decision makers to ensure Yorkshire benefits from new measures that aim to improve cancer prevention, treatment and survival as part of the Government’s new promise to create a long-term strategy for cancer as part of the NHS 10 year plan.