Battersea MP welcomes £100million boost for hospices
Marsha de Cordova, MP for Battersea, has welcomed last week’s government announcement that hospices in England will receive £100million in funding.
The investment has been billed as “the biggest investment into hospices and end-of-life care in a generation”.
The Battersea MP said: “This is a great early Christmas present for hospices and I’m really proud that bending the ear of government ministers has paid off.
“Hospices do a wonderful job at providing support for people with life-limiting conditions.
“This funding from our Labour Government will make a real difference to hospices like the Royal Trinity Hospice here in Battersea.”
The £100million funding will help 170 adult and children’s hospices in England this year and next year.
Hospices for children and young people will receive a further £26million revenue funding for 2025/26 through the longstanding Children’s Hospice Grant.
Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting said: “I’m really proud we’re able to deliver the biggest funding package for hospices in a generation.
“Marsha has done a brilliant job making the case for investment in hospices and I know how invaluable hospices like the Royal Trinity Hospice are for so many families.
“This package will ensure they will be able to continue to deliver the compassionate care everyone deserves as they come to the end of their life in the best possible environment.”
The investment will go towards helping hospices to improve their buildings, equipment, and accommodation. This includes refurbishing bedrooms and bathrooms and providing overnight accommodation for families.
This comes after hospices announced a ‘national funding crisis’ in October.
Research by Hospice UK found that hospices across the country made more money from charity shop profits than they received in Government funding.
St Christopher’s, in Lawrie Park Road, Sydenham, warned that second hand shops could not be expected to plug what it projected to be a £60million funding gap in hospice care this year.
Responding to the announcement last week, Hospice UK – which represents more than 200 hospices including St Christophers – said the support would “significantly ease the strain” the sector was under.
In a statement, Hospice UK said: “The Government has recognised the very real financial strain that adult and children’s hospices have been under for some time.
“The additional support will allow investment in the future of our services, and allow hospices in England to continue to reach hundreds of thousands of people with high-quality, compassionate care in the right environment.
“The funding will not only benefit patients but also the wider health and social care system.
“We look forward to continuing to work with the Government through the ten year plan to improve the provision of palliative and end of life care.”
Pictured top: St Christopher’s staff and a patient (Picture: Rachel Manns)