Asked by: Bob Blackman (Conservative - Harrow East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to provide emergency day-to-day funding to hospices; and whether he will commit to releasing (a) £100 million in emergency funding now and (b) a further £100 million in April 2026 to stabilise hospice services and protect patient care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Children and young people’s hospices have received £26 million of revenue funding for 2025/26 and we are also providing approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over the next three financial years, 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients.
In December 2024, we announced that we were providing £100 million of capital funding for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England. This was split across two financial years, with hospices receiving £25 million to spend in 2024/25 and £75 million to spend in 2025/26.
We are pleased to say that we can now confirm we are providing a further £25 million in capital funding for hospices to spend in 2025/26.
We are in a challenging fiscal position across the board. At this time, we are not in a position to offer any additional funding beyond that outlined above. However, we are supporting the hospice sector in other ways.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. As part of the MSF, we will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting integrated care boards to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, if he will make it his policy to ensure that hospices receive the funding required to raise staff pay in line with nationally agreed NHS pay rises.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications.
Hospices, as independent organisations, are free to develop and adapt their own terms and conditions of employment and, therefore, it is for them to determine what is affordable within the financial model they operate, and how to recoup any additional costs they face, including what contractual arrangements are reached with their commissioners.
NHS England uprates national allocations in line with the pay rises for ICBs. It is down to the local contractual arrangements, whether this includes the increases for pay rises or not, as to what the hospice can afford. There is, therefore, no single model which is consistent across England.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end-of-life and enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care.
We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1087 I gave to the House on 24 November 2025.
Asked by: Alison Bennett (Liberal Democrat - Mid Sussex)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment the government has made of the potential impact of hospice cuts on quality of palliative care across the country.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end-of-life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that voluntary sector organisations, including hospices, also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones.
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care and end-of-life care services that meet the needs of their local populations. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.
NHS England has reinforced the requirement that, from April 2026, ICBs and relevant providers must have a full understanding of current and projected service utilisation and costs, including for those needing end-of-life care, to support sustainable planning. This will help systems to better assess local need and maintain quality of care.
The Government is also providing £125 million of capital funding for eligible adult, and children and young people’s hospices and we recently also confirmed approximately £80 million of revenue funding for the next three years for children and young people’s hospices in England.
Additionally, the Government is developing a Palliative Care and End-of-Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. It will drive improvements in access, quality, and sustainability, and support ICB to commission high-quality, personalised care. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end-of-life care services, and we will also consider contracting and commissioning arrangements.
Asked by: Liz Jarvis (Liberal Democrat - Eastleigh)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether the proposed Modern Service Frameworks for palliative and end of life care will mandate Integrated Care Boards to commission hospice services in an equitable way.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and enable integrated care boards (ICBs) to address challenges in access, quality and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan.
We will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements as part of our MSF. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. Equity is at the heart of this government’s approach to strategic commissioning and, by supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
It would not be right to pre-empt exactly what will be in the final MSF at this time, as we develop it with our palliative care and end of life stakeholders.
I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS1087 I gave to the House on 24 November 2025.
Asked by: Siân Berry (Green Party - Brighton Pavilion)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent changes there have been in funding for hospice services in (a) England, (b) the South East region and (c) Sussex.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
In December 2024, we announced that we were providing £100 million of capital funding for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England. I am pleased to say that we can now confirm we are providing a further £25 million in capital funding for hospices to spend in 2025/26. From this additional £25 million of capital funding, hospices in the South East region will receive over £5 million. The Southern Hospice Group in Sussex, which is formed of St Barnabas House, Chestnut House, and Martlets, will receive £500,000. Sussex Beacon in Brighton will receive £88,920.
We also recently announced that we are providing approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices in England over the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients. Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice in Sussex and a number of other children’s hospices in the wider South East region, including Demelza Children’s Hospice, Shooting Star Children’s Hospice, Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice, Naomi House and Jacksplace Hospice, Helen and Douglas House, and Ellenor Hospice will all benefit from this funding.
The Sussex Integrated Care Board (ICB) is taking steps to support the long-term sustainability of hospices in its area. This includes 10-year grant agreements for adult hospices, providing financial certainty and strengthening their ability to maintain services during a period of rising demand.
The ICB is also funding a Sussex Hospice Alliance Programme Director to support collective planning, clinical integration, and workforce development. The ICB currently spends £13.3 million a year with hospices.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. As part of the MSF, we will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent discussions he has had with local authorities about the funding of hospice services, including those providing end-of-life care for dementia patients.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the funding of hospice services.
Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.
Local authorities don't have direct responsibility for end of life care. However, statutory guidance encourages local authorities to prioritise integration activity in areas where there is evidence that effective integration of services materially improves people’s wellbeing, for example, end of life care.
As the majority of hospices are independent charitable organisations, neither the Government nor NHS England collect data on their financial accounts. As such, we do not hold data on the proportion of the total income that hospices receive that is provided by central Government.
In December 2024, we announced a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England. We are pleased to say that this capital funding has just been increased by a further £25 million.
The Government will consider contracting and commissioning as part of developing the forthcoming Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework for England. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Asked by: Joe Robertson (Conservative - Isle of Wight East)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what proportion of hospice funding for dementia end-of-life care is provided by central government and local authorities; and whether he plans to increase statutory funding for hospices.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
The Department has not had any recent discussions with local authorities about the funding of hospice services.
Palliative care services are included in the list of services an integrated care board (ICB) must commission. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and service specifications. The statutory guidance states that ICBs must work to ensure that there is sufficient provision of care services to meet the needs of their local populations, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment.
Local authorities don't have direct responsibility for end of life care. However, statutory guidance encourages local authorities to prioritise integration activity in areas where there is evidence that effective integration of services materially improves people’s wellbeing, for example, end of life care.
As the majority of hospices are independent charitable organisations, neither the Government nor NHS England collect data on their financial accounts. As such, we do not hold data on the proportion of the total income that hospices receive that is provided by central Government.
In December 2024, we announced a £100 million capital funding boost for adult and children’s hospices in England. We are pleased to say that this capital funding has just been increased by a further £25 million.
The Government will consider contracting and commissioning as part of developing the forthcoming Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework for England. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting ICBs to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Asked by: Rachael Maskell (Labour (Co-op) - York Central)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, how does he intend to address the revenue shortfall in palliative care.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification.
Whilst the majority of palliative care and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, the Government has confirmed multi-year revenue support for children and young people’s hospices, totalling £26 million in 2025/26 and approximately £80 million across the three years 2026/27 to 2028/29, adjusted for inflation, which will, once again, be allocated via ICBs on behalf of NHS England, providing greater certainty for planning.
We are developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England later this year. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and will enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan.
Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality.
The recently published Medium-Term Planning Framework also states that, from April 2026, ICBs and relevant NHS providers should ensure an understanding of current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life.
Asked by: Bell Ribeiro-Addy (Labour - Clapham and Brixton Hill)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of trends in the level of the utilisation of hospice beds on NHS capacity and costs; and if he will make it his policy to allocate £100 million funding for hospices in 2025-26 and a further £100 million in April 2026.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
As hospices are independent, charitable organisations, the Department and NHS England do not collect data on the level of utilisation of hospices. Whilst the majority of palliative and end of life care is provided by National Health Service staff and services, we recognise the vital part that hospices also play in providing support to people at the end of life and their loved ones, as well as alleviating pressure on NHS services.
In December 2024, we announced that we were providing £100 million of capital funding for eligible adult and children’s hospices in England. This was split across two financial years, with hospices receiving £25 million to spend in 2024/25 and £75 million to spend in 2025/26.
I am pleased to say that we can now confirm we are providing a further £25 million in capital funding for hospices to spend in 2025/26.
Furthermore, children and young people’s hospices have received £26 million of revenue funding for 2025/26 and we are also providing £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over the next three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them stability to plan ahead and focus on what matters most, caring for their patients.
We are in a challenging fiscal position across the board. At this time, we are not in a position to offer any additional funding beyond that outlined above. However, we are trying to support the hospice sector in other ways.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. As part of the MSF, we will consider contracting and commissioning arrangements. We recognise that there is currently a mix of contracting models in the hospice sector. By supporting integrated care boards to commission more strategically, we can move away from grant and block contract models. In the long term, this will aid sustainability and help hospices’ ability to plan ahead.
Asked by: Blake Stephenson (Conservative - Mid Bedfordshire)
Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to ensure national accountability for equitable provision of palliative care across England.
Answered by Stephen Kinnock - Minister of State (Department of Health and Social Care)
Integrated care boards (ICBs) are responsible for commissioning palliative care services to meet the reasonable needs of their population, which can include hospice services available within the ICB catchment. To support ICBs in this duty, NHS England has published statutory guidance and a service specification.
The Government is developing a Palliative Care and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework (MSF) for England. The MSF will drive improvements in the services that patients and their families receive at the end of life and enable ICBs to address challenges in access, quality, and sustainability through the delivery of high-quality, personalised care. This will be aligned with the ambitions set out in the recently published 10-Year Health Plan. Through our MSF, we will closely monitor the shift towards the strategic commissioning of palliative care and end of life care services to ensure that services reduce variation in access and quality.
The recently published Strategic Commissioning Framework and Medium-Term Planning Guidance also make clear the expectations that ICBs should understand current and projected total service utilisation and costs for those at the end of life, creating an overall plan to more effectively meet these needs through neighbourhood health.
Hospices provide both core and specialist palliative care. Whilst acknowledging that not everyone will need specialist palliative care, we must ensure is that there is equitable and timely access to these services, whether they are provided by hospices or the National Health Service.