1.1 The government agrees with the committee’s recommendation: Target implementation date: Autumn 2026 1.2 ICBs have a duty to commission palliative care, supported by statutory guidance and service specifications for adults and children and young people, outlining expectations of what palliative care and end-of-life care services are commissioned. This is further supported by NHS England’s recently published strategic commissioning framework, which provides a step-by-step guide, aligned to the commissioning cycle, supporting commissioning to establish what is required from individual providers, including hospices, to meet the overall needs of their population.