Marie Curie Frank McNally Coatbridge Bellshill terminally ill poverty

Frank McNally, who represents Coatbridge and Bellshill, hosted an event in Parliament to highlight the issue following the publication of Marie Curie’s Dying in Poverty 2025 report.

The report revealed that more than 100,000 people died in poverty in 2024.

Frank McNally said: "Whilst every life has an end, it is not inevitable that so many people in this country face that end in poverty, fear and indignity.

"People at the end of their lives are not asking for the world, they are asking for comfort, choice and dignity.

"When people are diagnosed with a terminal illness, there is only one chance to ensure they spent their final months with dignity.

"We must act to ensure no one spends the final chapter of their life worrying about money instead of being with the people they love."

Speaking at the Marie Curie reception (Image: Supplied)

The Marie Curie event focused on the financial struggles faced by terminally ill people across the country, particularly those of working age.

According to the report, working-age people are now more likely to die in poverty than those of pension age.

In North Lanarkshire, the figures are especially concerning.

It found that 29% of working-age people in their final year of life spent it in poverty.

This compares to 16% of pensioners in the same circumstances.

At the event, Mr McNally shared the story of a constituent who cared for a terminally ill family member while struggling with rising energy bills, mounting debt, and the threat of losing their home.

The event also examined wider policy issues, including the disparity between working-age and pension-age benefits for terminally ill people.

It also covered barriers preventing people from dying at home if they choose to.