Hospices in England will receive an extra £100m to improve buildings, equipment and accommodation, the government has said.
The government announced the £100m will be given to both adult and child hospices in the new year and will cover until the end of the next financial year in April 2026.
A further £26m will be given to children’s hospices for the 2025/26 year, the government said.
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There are about 170 hospices in England that provide end of life care for adults, and about 40 for children and young people, while some hospices provide care to both.
Most hospices are charitable, independent organisations but receive some statutory funding from the government because they provide NHS services.
The government said the money will go towards refurbishing bedrooms and bathrooms, to provide comfortable overnight facilities for families, and improve IT systems to make it easier for GPs and hospitals to share vital data on patients.
It will also be spent on improving garden and outdoor spaces for patients and their families, and to help develop outreach services to support people in their own homes.
However, the government did not say if the money would go towards paying for the increase in employers’ national insurance.
At Prime Minister’s Questions this week, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said hospices believe the rise will cost them an extra £30m and asked if the government will be funding them to cover the cost.
Sir Keir Starmer said his government had put “a record amount into the NHS in the budget” and said…
