WILLOW Wood Hospice has welcomed the government’s renewed commitment to palliative and end-of-life care, while also calling for fairer and more sustainable funding for hospices.
The response follows a statement made by Care Minister Stephen Kinnock at Hospice UK’s recent annual conference in Liverpool.
Writing on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care in a letter to Hospice UK, the Minister addressed Hospice UK’s four-point plan for fair hospice funding and recognised the vital role hospices play, as well as the serious financial pressures many are facing. These pressures have already led to staff and service cuts in some areas at hospices across the country.
The government has confirmed that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) must commission palliative and end-of-life care services. This is supported by national guidance to help ensure local people can access the care they need. However, the Minister said difficult financial conditions and high national debt mean the government cannot provide funding beyond the existing £180 million support package.
This funding includes £100 million for buildings and facilities for adult and children’s hospices, and £80 million in running costs for children’s hospices over three years. The Minister explained that extra funding requested by Hospice UK would cost several hundred million pounds each year and is not possible at this time.
The government also highlighted NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework, which aims to improve care for people at the end of life by reducing avoidable hospital stays.
A new Palliative and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework is also planned for spring 2026, with a focus on improving quality, fairness and long-term planning of services. There is an aim to move away from short-term grants towards more stable, long-term funding arrangements.
Willow Wood Hospice’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Tracy Minshull, said: “We are grateful for the support we receive and we welcome the government’s recognition of how important hospices are for patients and families at the most difficult times. Our services help relieve pressure on local provision and fill gaps in the care system.
“However, our ICB funding position remains a real concern. Willow Wood currently receives just 24 per cent of its annual funding from the government, which is well below the national average of 33 per cent. This puts ongoing pressure on our services and workforce. We haven’t had to cut vital services yet but, should this continue, it is inevitable that services and support will be affected.”
She added: “Now more than ever, the hospice sector needs a major change in how it is funded, so it was deeply concerning that the recent Budget did not address the wider funding crisis.
“We remain committed to working together with our ICB colleagues and partners across health and social care to make sure hospices like ours are funded properly. This will help us continue to provide the specialist care people need, now and in the future.”
The impact of hospice care can be seen through people like Jai Mistry, who first came to Willow Wood Hospice while caring for her husband, Balu, who had a rare neurological condition called progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).
Jai left her job to care for Balu full-time. Together, they accessed wellbeing sessions and therapies at the Hospice, which helped ease both physical and emotional pressures.
Jai said Willow Wood was “totally the opposite of what I expected” and gave her “a sigh of relief”, explaining that the reassurance, regular check-ins and compassionate care made an overwhelming situation more manageable.
After Balu died in May 2025, Jai – who had once thought hospices only provided end-of-life care – continued to receive counselling and support through the Hospice’s Family Support team.
Her story shows how hospices provide care free of charge for patients and families before, during and after death, and help people with any life-limiting illness to live as well as possible, for as long as possible.
CEO Tracy Minshull added: “We are privileged to support patients and families at some of the most difficult times in their lives, and we simply could not do this without the generosity of our supporters. Every donation helps us to provide compassionate, specialist and dignified care.
“We are continually inspired by the kindness of our local communities and the extraordinary commitment they show to Willow Wood. Their support plays a vital role in ensuring we can continue to deliver the very best services at the point of need, now and in the future.”
Willow Wood Hospice is a charity and relies on fundraising, donations, volunteers and Gifts in Wills to raise around three quarters of the money needed each year to stay open in Ashton-under-Lyne.
The Hospice remains committed to working with the NHS and government to help create a fairer, more sustainable future for hospice care in Tameside and Glossop.