AHEAD OF NATIONAL SKIN
CANCER AWARENESS MONTH IN MAY, BRITISH BEAUTY BACKS VAT BURN
CAMPAIGN AMIDST SKIN CANCER PANDEMIC
National skin cancer
charity, SKCIN unite influential leaders that represent the British Beauty
Industry, to support the VAT Burn Campaign that calls for the removal of VAT on
high SPF sunscreen and supportive education.
With the UV Index rising,
sunscreen should now be an essential health item on the nation’s shopping list.
Yet independent research from various organisations consistently reveals that
the price of sunscreen is a clear barrier to its use - and one that is putting
the nation’s health at risk. A rising a concern, exacerbated by the ongoing
cost of living crisis.
Around 90% of skin cancer
cases are preventable by combining use of simple sun protection measures, which
includes applying high-SPF sunscreen with correct quantity and frequency.
Quality sun protection is therefore an essential health item that should be
accessible and affordable for all.
However, affordability is not
the only barrier. Marie Tudor, CEO of SKCIN said: “With an estimated 19 million
UK adults admitting they don’t use sun protection, there are many challenges
and misconceptions to address with a need to drive attitudinal and behavioural
change. Education is without doubt our greatest weapon in the fight against
skin cancer and it’s vital that a dual approach to reduced taxation and
education is taken seriously. This has been proven to work in Australia where
the reduction of skin cancer cases is globally recognised as one of their
greatest health achievements”.
According to SKCIN, combined
melanoma and non-melanoma statistics reveal over 265,000 annual cases of skin
cancer will affect around 25% of the UK population who will be diagnosed in
their lifetime, resulting in over 3,500 largely preventable deaths.
The annual cost of diagnosing
and treating skin cancer is estimated to be in excess of £500 million, placing
a significant financial burden on our NHS with the sheer volume of cases is
presenting a huge resourcing burden for UK dermatology.
Kathryn Clifford, Co-founder
of SKCIN said: “We are amidst a skin cancer pandemic. With rates of the disease
rising faster than any other cancer (estimated to reach over 400,000 cases
annually by 2025) - sadly these insights provide only a snapshot of what the
future holds”.
Key organisations
representing the British beauty industry, have now pledged their support,
placing rising pressure on Government:
“The British Beauty Council
supports calls for better education around sun safety and the removal of VAT
for SPF30+ sunscreen. Challenging misconceptions around the necessity of sun
protection and its role in preventing cancer and reducing the burden on our
health service is paramount. However, making products accessible and most
importantly affordable for all is absolutely key to this. Sun safety is a basic
need and should be treated as such by Government, industry and the public
alike.”
Victoria Brownlie, Chief
Policy Officer of the British Beauty Council
“The rapid rate at which skin
cancer is growing is a concern that requires urgent attention. Given the cost
of living crisis it is understandable how sunscreen may be considered a luxury
item by many instead of an essential purchase. That said, the fact skin cancer
is so often preventable indicates strongly why Government should be considering
every option available to assist. This includes making reputable &
effective sunscreens more affordable while educating the nation on their vital
importance in the fight against cancer.”
Lesley Blair MBE, CEO of
BABTAC & CIBTAC British Association of Beauty Therapist &
Cosmetologists
“Skin cancer is
a growing public health concern and we must take all the necessary precautions
to ensure that we educate people on the dangers of not using sun protection. We
are very happy to be supporting the VAT Burn campaign with SKCIN, removing VAT from
SPF30+ sunscreen will make it more affordable to adults in the UK who find it
too expensive to purchase.”
Caroline
Larissey, Chief Executive of NHBF
National Hair and Beauty Federation
“Habia fully supports the VAT
Burn Campaign that calls for the removal of VAT on SPF30+ sunscreen combined
with nationwide education. Quality sun protection is an essential health item
not a luxury and should be made more affordable for individuals and families. A
dual approach with supportive education is critical in ensuring positive
outcomes and SKCIN are specialists in this field.”
Joan Scott, CEO of Habia
Hair & Beauty Industry Authority
To highlight the issue with Government Amy Callaghan MP,
Skcin, Melanoma Focus and Melanoma Fund will be holding a parliamentary drop in
event on 8th May at Westminster to raise awareness of skin cancer,
highlight the Vat burn campaign to MPs and the burden of the disease and the
important need for action.
_ ENDS_
Notes to Editors
The VAT Burn campaign initiated by Amy Callaghan MP,
is supported by a group of charities, cross-party politicians and medical
professionals.
—————————————————————————————
57 per cent of UK adults said they think sun
protection is expensive
31 per cent of parents said they can’t always afford
to apply sun cream to the whole family
29 per cent of those surveyed stating that they would
wear sun protection daily if it was more affordable.
41 per cent claim they only apply it to their face or
face and neck, despite the fact any part of the body exposed to UV rays can be
at risk.
36% of people surveyed said
they don’t wear sun protection even when its sunny = estimate of 19m UK adults
based ONS data stating there are a total 52.6m UK adults (2019)
Research of 2,000 UK adults
aged over 18 conducted by Opinium
in April 2021 on behalf of
Tesco in partnership with SKCIN
Skcin cancer awareness
month runs from 01 May to 31 May. Skcin have a unique, innovative, and
multi-channel approach to combatting skin cancer on a national scale -
delivering bespoke, sustainable solutions that are accessible to everyone all
year round from online campaigns, industry sector training, free accreditations
to promotional material to our free Skcin App for the Public. Please visit our
web site www.skcin.org. Further press
release to follow.
—————————————————————————————
For further information contact:
Marie Tudor, CEO SKCIN
marie.tudor@skcin.org
www.sunsafeschools.co.uk
www.sunsafenurseries.co.uk
www.sunsafeworkplaces.co.uk
www.masced.uk
https://pro.masced.uk
www.sunsafeschools.co.uk
www.sunsafenurseries.co.uk
www.sunsafeworkplaces.co.uk
www.masced.uk
https://pro.masced.uk
