I had a shock skin cancer diagnosis at 26 years old. One excision, one skin graft and four ocular surgeries later, I'm lucky to be cancer-free, but there are many who aren't as fortunate.

Over the last decade, the number of Brits with melanoma has soared by almost half. Skin cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the UK, and cases are surging among young people, causing disfigurement and distress to thousands. Treatment for the disease also costs our stretched NHS hundreds of millions of pounds per year. 

But did you know up to 90% of these cases can be prevented simply by using sunscreen?

The Government does. Despite this, a 20% luxury VAT is still charged on life-saving sunscreen products. It not only makes them less affordable in a cost-of-living crisis, but sends a damaging message about the importance of sun safety to our public health.

It’s woeful that the likes of online gambling, Jaffa Cakes and kangaroo meat are VAT-exempt, yet sunscreens are burdened with a 20% levy. That adds around £1.50 to the cost of an average bottle. A 2023 Melanoma Focus survey shows that half of UK adults think SPF products are too expensive, and 67% would use more if they cost less. Wouldn’t you wear more sunscreen if it was a fifth cheaper?

Right now, a landmark UV Safety Inquiry is taking place in Parliament. It will examine the taxation of sunscreen as a key consideration in the prevention of avoidable skin cancers.

You can help me to amplify this message to decision makers by signing and sharing this petition.

Still not convinced? Take a look at the stats:

• In the UK, 1 in 4 men and 1 in 5 women will develop a form of skin cancer at least once in their lifetime.
• Around 3,500 people die from skin cancer each year in the UK - that's more than Australia.
• Over 230,000 cases of non-melanoma skin cancer are diagnosed annually in the UK, with rates predicted to reach almost 400,000 per year by 2025.
• Around 17,500 cases of melanoma are diagnosed every year in the UK, with cases predicted to rise to 20,000 annually in 2025.
• In the UK, almost 9 in 10 cases of melanoma skin cancer could be prevented by staying safe in the sun and avoiding sunbeds. The more times a person gets sunburnt, the higher their risk of skin cancer.

It's time the price of SPF reflected its importance. By signing this petition, you can call on the UK government to make sun safety more affordable for everyone. A small change like this can save a lot of lives.

Thank you!

Ps. For campaign news and sun safety hacks, follow me on Instagram at @jessicazwebster