Throughout the UK, the most significant funding for UK hospices comes from local people, whose generous support – through donations of money, time and commitment – make it all possible.
Alongside this wonderful contribution, at St Catherine’s we also receive a small amount of statutory funding. Unfortunately, this funding has remained static over recent years, despite rising costs, meaning it covers less of our costs than it did previously.
Currently hospice services across the UK are at some risk and Hospice UK – the national champion for all UK hospices – has recently highlighted that the hospice sector as a whole is facing a £77 million income shortfall this year alone.
How can you help?
Please support Hospice UK’s write to your MP campaign to let your local MP know about the UK hospice funding crisis.
Write to your MP using our three easy steps:
- Copy and paste the email template below into a new email.
- Use the UK Parliament website to find your local MP and their email address. We’ve also included a list below.
- Send the email to your local MP – you can add your own words too if you wish.
This is your opportunity to become part of a national conversation and a call for change so we can continue caring for local families who need us.
Email template for you to send to your MP
I am writing as your constituent to ask you to meet with Giles Tomsett, CEO of St Catherine’s Hospice to hear about the hospice funding crisis and how you can support protecting their hospice services and their support to the NHS in our constituency.
Charitable hospices care for 300,000 people each year living with long-term illnesses or approaching the end of their lives and 59,000 of the people close to them each year. At St Catherine’s they support over 2,500 people each year. This essential care is mostly funded through fundraising. At St Catherine’s, on average, less than one third of hospice income comes from government funding.
Rising costs over several years mean hospices have faced growing financial pressure. The government funding hospices do receive has not kept pace with inflation and changing need. Local communities, also hit hard by rising costs, are struggling to fundraise to fill the gap.
Hospice sector finances are the worst they have been for 20 years and many are being forced to cut services, close inpatient beds and make vital staff redundant. For example, Birmingham Hospice has recently announced 45 redundancies and closed a third of its inpatient beds.
This is happening when hospices are needed more than ever. Hospices across the UK are vital to keeping people out of hospital and reducing pressure on the NHS as well as meeting the needs of our increasing and ageing population.
I am personally worried about the risk to hospice services across the UK and the knock on impact on the health and care sector as a whole. I would be hugely grateful if, as my local MP, you could contact Giles Tomsett, CEO at: kerrystanford@stch.org.uk to arrange a meeting with him, to understand more about this issue and the impacts on your local hospice and how you can support in the future.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Find your local MP
- Crawley: Peter Lamb (peter.lamb.mp@parliament.uk)
- Horsham: John Milne (john.milne.mp@parliament.uk)
- East Grinstead and Uckfiled: Mims Davies (mims.davies.mp@parliament.uk)
- East Surrey: Claire Coutinho (claire.coutinho.mp@parliament.uk)
- Mid Sussex: Alison Bennett (alison.bennett.mp@parliament.uk)
- Reigate: Rebecca Paul (rebecca.paul.mp@parliament.uk)
- Dorking and Horley: Chris Coghlan (chris.coghlan.mp@parliament.uk)
If your local MP isn’t in this list, you can find yours on the UK Parliament website.
