# Cancer Research UK cuts research budget by half

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/12/08/cancer-research-uk-cuts-research-budget-by-half/
- Published: 2020-12-08T09:42:34+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**[Cancer Research UK](https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/) is slashing £45 million
from its research budget, it announced today.**

The charity has experienced a drop in income during the coronavirus pandemic, partially
due to the closure of its charity shops and cancellation of many fundraising events.
As a result, the organisation is spending half of what it had planned to at this
time.

Cancer Research UK has warned that this will slow down future breakthroughs for 
people with cancer. It also threatens the charity’s chances of reaching the milestone
of 3 in 4 people surviving their cancer by 2034.

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During his 2020 Spending Review at the end of November, Chancellor Rishi Sunak committed
to investing £14.6 billion in research next year. However it is unclear how much
of this will be earmarked for medical research.

Dr Iain Foulkes, executive director of research and innovation at Cancer Research
UK, said: “The recent Government spending review was a step in the right direction
for cancer services in the UK, but we need urgent clarification to what measures
are being put in place to support medical research charities through the Life Sciences
Charity Partnership Fund. As a country that relies so heavily on charity-funded 
research, the UK risks weakening its reputation as a world-leader in science if 
charities don’t receive the right support.”

This follows the £44 million cut made to grants by Cancer Research UK at the start
of the pandemic. The charity expects to make similar reductions next spring unless
its income gaps are plugged by government support or more charitable giving. If 
nothing changes, Cancer Research UK have said they could be spending £150 million
less per year by 2024.

Michelle Mitchell, chief executive of Cancer Research UK, said: “Covid-19 has slowed
down our efforts to beat cancer. The closures of our charity shops and the cancellation
of our fundraising events across the country means we have less money available 
for life-saving research, but we will never stop.”
**MORE:**

 * **[Cancer Research UK turns Race for Life mass group events virtual with live streaming](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/11/03/cancer-research-uk-turns-race-life-mass-group-events-virtual-live-streaming/)(
   3 November 2020)**
 * **[Cancer Research UK anticipates £300m drop in income over three years](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/07/16/cancer-research-uk-anticipates-300m-drop-in-income-over-three-years/)(
   16 July 2020)
 * **[UK scientists urge PM to prevent “catastrophic” fall in charity research funding](https://fundraising.co.uk/2020/07/08/uk-scientists-urge-pm-to-prevent-catastrophic-fall-in-charity-research-funding/)(
   8 July 2020)**