Our response to the 2025 Budget

Today the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rachel Reeves, presented the Budget, setting out the Government’s economic plan. What does this mean for people affected by bowel cancer in England?

The Chancellor's budget today reconfirmed NHS spending plans first set out in the Spending Review in June 2025. The plans will see an increase in NHS funding over the next three years to £29 billion a year, with an additional one off £300 million investment in NHS technology to boost productivity, support staff and improve patient outcomes. This provides clarity on the continued investment for the NHS in England.

Genevieve Edwards, Chief Executive at Bowel Cancer UK, says: “Although we welcome the confirmation of NHS funding in today’s Budget, it is vital that this investment is used to diagnose bowel cancer earlier, and more people get the right treatment and care they need to ultimately save lives.

“In our response to the Government’s call for evidence on the National Cancer Plan, we urged them to prioritise earlier diagnosis, improve access to and quality of cancer treatment, and reduce health inequalities in both diagnosis and care.

“We also called for action on workforce shortages which are driving long waits for diagnostic tests, and for stronger secondary prevention measures, including genetic testing for inherited conditions such as Lynch syndrome.

“The National Cancer Plan is a once in a decade chance to save thousands of lives from bowel cancer, and we look forward to seeing the detailed proposals in the New Year.”

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