What are the ways to support Cancer Research UK?

Updated

You can support Cancer Research UK by making a one-off or monthly donation, fundraising on your own, volunteering, leaving a gift in your will, or taking part in an event. The right option depends on whether you want to give money, give time, or both — and on whether you prefer a simple online transaction or a more hands-on activity.

Donating: one-off or monthly

The donation section of the homepage offers two modes: Monthly and Single. Each mode shows suggested amounts of £6, £15 and £30, plus an "Or enter another amount" field, followed by a Donate now button.

Accepted payment methods listed on the page are:

  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay
  • Direct Debit
  • MasterCard
  • PayPal
  • Visa

The page does not state whether there is a minimum donation, whether Gift Aid is added at checkout, or whether an account is required. Those details would appear during the donation flow itself.

Choosing between the two: a monthly donation suits steady, ongoing support; a single donation suits a one-time contribution or a gift on someone's behalf. The page frames the impact broadly — it says that over the past 50 years its work has helped double cancer survival in the UK — rather than tying specific amounts to specific outcomes.

Fundraising on your own

The site invites supporters to "fundraise your way," giving bake sales and bingo as examples, and says it provides "lots of resources to help you." If you are considering this route, the practical steps are:

  1. Decide on the activity and a rough date.
  2. Register your fundraising with the charity through the "Do your own fundraising" page so you receive support materials.
  3. Set up a way to collect money (the site's resources cover this).
  4. Run the event and send in the proceeds.

The page does not specify rules for handling cash, raffle licensing, or matching deadlines, so check the fundraising resources before committing to anything involving public collections or prizes.

Volunteering

The site describes volunteering as a way to "meet new people, develop your skills, and help change lives," and states that "our volunteers make progress possible." It does not list specific roles, time commitments, age requirements, or locations on this page — those would be on the volunteering section. Volunteering is the better fit if you want to contribute time rather than money, or in addition to it.

Gifts in wills and events

Both are named on the page as support routes: you can "leave a gift in your will or take part in an event." The homepage gives no further detail on how gifts in wills are arranged or what events are currently open, so use the linked pages under "Get involved" for specifics.

Quick comparison

Route What you give Best if you… Detail available on page
Monthly donation Money, recurring Want steady, low-effort support Amounts, payment methods
Single donation Money, once Want a one-time contribution Amounts, payment methods
Own fundraising Time and effort Enjoy organising activities with others Examples and resource offer
Volunteering Time Want to build skills and meet people Benefits described, no role list
Gift in will Money, later Want to support long-term research Named only
Events Time and money Want a structured, social challenge Named only

If your goal is information rather than support

The same site also hosts cancer information — the page says its "trusted information is used by millions of people every week" and points to content on symptoms, screening and coping after treatment, plus a Cancer Chat forum for talking to others affected by cancer. If you arrived looking for answers about cancer rather than ways to give, start there instead of the donation tools.