Financial sustainability of adult hospices in England

Public Accounts Committee Open Inquiry
Opened: 10 Jul 2025 Parliament page
In 2023, total UK hospice income of £1.8bn comprised around £0.5bn of state funding and the remainder from charitable sources. In 2023-24, many adult hospices reported financial pressures and the threat of needing to cut services by up to 20% unless additional funding was given. An estimated 300 out of … Read more
6 Recommendations
24 Conclusions
1 Report
1 Oral session
5 Letters
1 Event
Activity timeline 8 events
20 Apr
2026
Correspondence
26 Mar
2026
Correspondence
18 Mar
2026
Report published
26 Jan
2026
Correspondence
26 Jan
2026
Correspondence
26 Jan
2026
Correspondence
12 Jan
2026
Oral evidence
12 Jan
2026
Formal meeting (oral evidence session) · The Grimond Room, Portcullis House
Oral evidence sessions 1 session
12 Jan 2026
View on parliament.uk
Dr Amanda Doyle OBE · NHS England Dr Edward Scully · Department of Health and Social Care Duncan Burton · NHS England Professor Fliss Murtagh · Hull York Medical School Samantha Jones · Department of Health and Social Care Sir James Mackey · NHS England The Baroness Finlay of Llandaff Toby Porter · Hospice UK
Title HC No. Published Items Response
73rd Report - Financial sustainability of adult hospices in Engl… HC 1236 18 Mar 2026 30 Overdue
Recommendations & Conclusions
3 results
Clear
2 Recommendation Rejected
73rd Report - Financial sustainabi…
Only now are the Department and NHS England developing a Modern Service Framework for palliative...
Only now are the Department and NHS England developing a Modern Service Framework for palliative and end-of-life care, but so far the details are unclear. There has not been a new national strategy for improving palliative and end-of-life care in … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees with developing and publishing a fully costed delivery plan alongside the (modern service) framework but that they should work with and take on board the views of the hospice sector as part of the development of the (modern service) framework.
HM Treasury
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6 Recommendation Rejected
73rd Report - Financial sustainabi…
The NHS is at risk of losing the huge value it gains from independent hospices...
The NHS is at risk of losing the huge value it gains from independent hospices beyond the provision of statutory palliative and end-of-life care. Independent hospices provide enhanced care compared with the NHS, such as complementary therapies, funded from charitable … Read more
Government Response
The government disagrees, but states that it is working closely with Hospice UK, Marie Curie, Sue Ryder and Together for Short Lives to ensure the views of hospices are gathered and considered at every stage of the MSF development and will also consider high-potential innovation.
HM Treasury
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7 Recommendation Rejected
73rd Report - Financial sustainabi…
Hospice collaboratives have the potential to deliver efficiencies and further raise the quality of care,...
Hospice collaboratives have the potential to deliver efficiencies and further raise the quality of care, but their development is lacking central support from the Department and NHS England. Some hospices are working together to form collaboratives within ICB regions, offering … Read more
Government Response
The government recognises that hospice collaboratives can play an important role but states it is not the place of the department or NHS England, to set out the working practices, or operating models, of independent organisations, such as hospices.
HM Treasury
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Government Response AI assessment · 7 of 6 classified
Accepted 3
Accepted in Part 1
Rejected 3
Total 6 recs + 24 conclusions
Correspondence 5 letters
20 Apr 2026 To committee Letter from the Permanent Secretary of NHS England to the Chair of the Public Accounts Committee relating to Financial stability of adult hospices in England, 30 March 2026
Parliament page
26 Mar 2026 From committee Letter to the Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health and Social Care relating to Financial sustainability of adult hospices in England, 26 March 2026
Parliament page
26 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive Officer of NHS England relating to the Committee’s evidence session on 12 January 2026 on Financial Sustainability of Adult Hospices, 16 January 2026
Parliament page
26 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive Officer of Hospice UK relating to the Committee’s evidence session on 12 January 2026 on Financial Sustainability of Adult Hospices, 15 January 2025
Parliament page
26 Jan 2026 To committee Letter from the Chief Executive Officer of Sue Ryder relating to the Committee’s evidence session on 12 January 2026 on Financial Sustainability of Adult Hospices, 16 January 2026
Parliament page