Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will allow non-hospice voluntary sector children’s palliative care organisations access to the funding for charities allocated by Government departments announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 April 2020.

The announcement by the Chancellor of the Exchequer on 8 April 2020, included funding of up to £200 million for hospices, as part of a wider package of £750 million for the wider voluntary and charity sector. This funding is supporting hospices to increase capacity of NHS services and provide stability as the Government manages its response to COVID-19.

Of the £200 million, some of this funding has already gone to non-hospice voluntary sector children’s palliative and supportive care organisations that have the capacity (within their inpatient services or community care provision) to take pressure off the NHS in line with the funding agreement.

In addition, a further £370 million will support charities working with vulnerable people. In England, this support will be provided through the National Lottery Community Fund. We will allocate £60 million of this funding through the Barnett formula so the devolved administrations are funded to provide similar support in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. This will provide support for thousands of charities on the frontline of helping vulnerable people affected by COVID-19.