Staff and leaders from Nottinghamshire Hospice travelled to Downing Street on Wednesday 15 April to call on the Government for urgent action to protect end-of-life care services. 

They were joined by colleagues from hospices across England to deliver a joint letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer, warning that the sector is facing a financial crisis that is already impacting care for local people. 

Hospices collectively care for around 270,000 people and support 77,000 family members every year. But rising costs, growing demand and inconsistent funding are putting services under increasing strain. 

Across England, three in four hospices are running a financial deficit, and nearly six in ten have either already made or are considering cuts to frontline services. At the same time, demand for care is expected to rise by 25% in the next twenty years as the population ages. 

Nottinghamshire Hospice provides care in people’s homes and in the community, helping patients remain in familiar surroundings with the people they love at end-of-life. But without sustainable funding, services like these are at risk. 

The letter delivered to Downing Street sets out a clear four-point plan to create a fairer funding model for hospice care. This includes full funding for palliative care, improved NHS contracts, support for rising staff costs, and national accountability to ensure equal access to care. 

As an urgent first step, hospices are calling on the Government to commit £112.5 million in recurring funding from the next financial year. 

This investment would help protect vital services, prevent further cuts and allow hospices to meet growing demand. It would also reduce pressure on the wider NHS, with community-based palliative care shown to save around £8,000 per person. 

Rachel Hucknall, Chief Executive at Nottinghamshire Hospice said:
“Across our county, hospice care helps people spend their final days in comfort, dignity and surrounded by loved ones. But services like this cannot continue without fair and sustainable funding. Once services are lost, they are incredibly difficult to rebuild. That is why we are standing alongside hospices across the country to call for urgent action. 

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK, added:
“We’re bringing hospices to Westminster to remind the Government that the people needing hospice care can’t wait. We must act now to prevent further cuts and ensure that patients and families continue to receive the care they need at the end of their lives.” 

Rachel added, “We currently care for one in four people who die in Nottinghamshire. We need to protect this care for local people now, and in the future”