Willow Wood Hospice welcomes government commitment but calls for fairer funding

Willow Wood Hospice has welcomed the government’s renewed commitment to palliative and end-of-life care, while warning that current funding arrangements remain unsustainable for hospices like its own.

The response follows comments made by Care Minister Stephen Kinnock at Hospice UK’s annual conference in Liverpool and a subsequent letter sent to Hospice UK on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

In the letter, the Minister addressed Hospice UK’s four-point plan for fair hospice funding, recognising the vital role hospices play for patients and families, as well as the serious financial pressures many are facing. These pressures have already resulted in staff and service cuts at hospices in some parts of the country.

The government confirmed that Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are required to commission palliative and end-of-life care services, supported by national guidance to help ensure people can access the care they need locally. However, the Minister said that difficult financial conditions and high national debt mean the government is unable to provide funding beyond the existing £180 million support package.

This package includes £100 million for buildings and facilities for adult and children’s hospices, alongside £80 million in running costs for children’s hospices over three years. The Minister added that the additional funding requested by Hospice UK would amount to several hundred million pounds annually and is not currently affordable.

The government also highlighted NHS England’s Medium Term Planning Framework, which aims to improve care for people nearing the end of life by reducing avoidable hospital stays. A new Palliative and End of Life Care Modern Service Framework is planned for spring 2026, with a focus on improving quality, fairness and long-term service planning, and moving away from short-term grants towards more stable funding arrangements.

Willow Wood Hospice’s Chief Executive Officer, Tracy Minshull, said the organisation was grateful for the government’s recognition of the hospice sector, but stressed that funding inequalities remain a serious concern.

She 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.”

Ms Minshull added that the recent Budget had failed to address the wider funding crisis facing hospices nationwide.

“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,” she said. “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 while caring for her husband, Balu, who lived with a rare neurological condition, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP).

Jai left her job to care for Balu full-time, and together they accessed wellbeing sessions and therapies at the hospice, helping to ease both physical and emotional pressures. She described Willow Wood as “totally the opposite of what I expected”, saying it gave her “a sigh of relief” through its reassurance, regular check-ins and compassionate care.

After Balu died in May 2025, Jai continued to receive counselling and support from the hospice’s Family Support team, highlighting how hospices support families not only at the end of life, but before and after death as well.

Jai and Balu.

Ms Minshull said: “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 based in Ashton-under-Lyne and relies on fundraising, donations, volunteers and Gifts in Wills to raise around three-quarters of the money needed each year to stay open. The hospice says it remains committed to working with the NHS and government to help create a fairer, more sustainable future for hospice care across Tameside and Glossop.