Pompey star Chris Kamara visits 10 Downing Street with campaign to change pension rules for the terminally ill

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The 65-year-old presenter, representatives of Marie Curie charity and terminally ill campaigners handed the letter containing 166,240 signatures to Number 10.

The petition, organised by the end-of-life charity, urges the government to give terminally ill people of working age access to their state pension.

Kamara’s mother, Irene, was cared for by the charity’s nurses in her final days in 2003 after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and he has worked with Marie Curie previously on campaigns as an ambassador.

Football pundit Chris Kamara MBE (2nd left) handing in a petition, from the end-of-life charity Marie Curie, to Downing Street calling for improved financial support for people with a terminal illness, alongside terminally ill campaigners Tammy Prescott and Cheryl Whittaker, and their husbands Lintyn and Mark. Picture date: Thursday February 23, 2023. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Jeff Moore/PA Wire

Kamara, who started his professional career at Portsmouth FC in the 1970s, said: ‘People shouldn’t be allowed to die in poverty – 90,000 people die in poverty (every year), so that’s 10 an hour. That’s got to stop.

‘We never had much money growing up, so I understand the strain that places on a family. I can’t imagine having to deal with both of these stressful situations at the same time but that is what everyday life has been like for the people I’ve met through this campaign.’

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He added: ‘Once you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness you’ve not got long left, you have to stop your job, your circumstances change, you’re devastated, so social security money isn’t enough, so access to the state pension (is needed).

‘Terminally ill patients are not getting enough money to help them get by so they have their pension, they worked hard. If you worked hard for 35/45 years of your life, you’ve got three or four years until you’re 66.

“Why not access your pension that you’re never going to get?”

Sarah Middlemiss, who works for Marie Curie, is urging the government to take action ahead of the spring Budget.

She said: ‘There is simply not enough financial support available for terminally ill people. That’s why we’re here today, urging the prime minister to make good on his pledge to always protect the most vulnerable. We know the public support this. We know it is affordable.’

A Department for Work and Pensions spokesperson said ‘a terminal diagnosis is an unimaginable challenge’ and their priority is quick and compassionate financial support while pointing out that people dying can get fast-tracked benefits.