Autumn Budget 2025: what it means for people with cystic fibrosis

Why the Budget matters to people with CF

On 26 November 2025, the Chancellor set out the Autumn Budget, which affects everything from taxes to the services we rely on every day.

At a time when life is expensive for everyone, people living with CF have additional unavoidable costs, forcing many into impossible financial decisions.

It costs the typical family with CF nearly £6,800 per year because of necessary extra spending to stay well, such as on energy, food and transport, and having to make different employment decisions. 

Our recent Your Life and CF report found that 40% of people with CF have to prioritise one essential over another, 20% are worried about losing their housing, and 90% worry about the future.

Living with CF is expensive. We need to see the Government doing more to support the huge cost of living burden facing people with CF. 

What the Trust called for in the Budget

In our submission to the Budget, we called on the Government to:

• address the rising cost of living with CF

• reform welfare support so it works for people with CF

• protect CF care in a changing NHS landscape

• improve air quality and reduce pollution.

The impact of the Budget on people with CF

While the Budget made little announcement on the NHS and life sciences, there were announcements about welfare changes, energy costs and prescription charges that has a direct impact on the CF community.

Prescription charges in England frozen 

The cost of a single prescription will remain at £9.90 and three-month and annual pre-payment certificate costs will also be frozen. 

We welcome the Chancellor’s decision not to increase prescription charges, but the Government must go further. CF is one of the few chronic, life-shortening conditions where people must pay for their prescriptions in England. The Government must address this long-standing unfairness by reviewing the prescription charge exemption list and relieving the financial burden on people with CF. Prescription charges in the devolved nations remain free.

Energy bills to reduce by £150 for the average household

Average households will see their energy bills cut by £150 a year from April 2026. This is good news for many people with CF, who on average spend £40 more a month (nearly £500 a year) on energy than someone without CF. 

It is worth noting that the Chancellor has achieved this by abolishing the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, a home insulation scheme which helped low-income households insulate their homes. While most households will see a reduction in their bills, some low-income households would have saved more through the ECO scheme and will now miss out.

We continue to call on the Government to create a social tariff for gas and electricity to ensure those in the CF community with the greatest need do not go without essential healthcare at home.

Return of face-to-face assessments for disability benefits

Before COVID, PIP assessments were usually in person, but during the pandemic they moved to phone, video, or paper. The Government now plans to bring back more face-to-face assessments, but this can make it harder for people with CF to get the benefits they need.

Evidence shows that in-person or video assessments often lead to incorrect decisions because assessors misunderstand CF and make unfair, biased assumptions based on how people present in their assessment. Many people with CF have told us that they are bewildered at the lack of understanding from PIP assessors and 95% of people with CF we represent at appeal have their original decision overturned. The Department for Work and Pensions must offer a range of assessment options so the right decision is made the first time. 

Changes to Motability Scheme

From July 2026, people who lease a vehicle through the Motability Scheme may have to pay 20% VAT on extra payments for more expensive vehicles.

The Motability Scheme allows qualifying disabled people with poor mobility to trade in part of their benefits in exchange for being able to rent a car, scooter or powered wheelchair. People often also have to make some advance payments from their own money too. We know that some people with CF use Motability vehicles to get to work and hospital appointments. 

We will monitor this change closely to identify any impact for people with CF. We hope that the Timms review into PIP, concluding next year, will ensure consistent, fair mobility support.

Creation of 250 neighbourhood health centres

The government plans to build 250 new neighbourhood health centres where GPs, nurses, dentists, and other services are all in one place. This aims to make it easier for people, especially those with long-term health needs, to get care close to home and reduce pressure on hospitals.

The new neighbourhood health centres should be set up to serve a diverse range of needs so that, when providing treatment for any reason, staff understand and can support people with CF. 

Find out more about what we’re asking the Government to do

We’re here to help

If you’re worried about any aspect of CF, please speak to your CF team or contact our Helpline. 

Call 0300 373 1000 or 020 3795 2184, Monday–Friday 10am–4pm
Email [email protected]
Chat with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram
Message us on WhatsApp on 07361 582053

We won’t stop until everyone can live a life free from the limits of CF.