Response to Spending Review June 2025

Sam Royston, Executive Director of Policy and Research at Marie Curie, said:
"We welcome increases in funding for the NHS, but today's announcement failed to provide any specific measures to address the crisis in end of life care.

"Too many people are dying in avoidable pain, in poverty and alone. And when dying people can't get the support they need close to home, they often have no choice other than visiting A&E, calling out an ambulance, or be admitted to hospital at crisis point.

"As our population ages and a greater number of people die each year. Without action this will place our health and care system under ever greater pressure. In 10 years, the need for end of life care will rise by 10% compared to today. Over 60,000 more people will need care every year.

"If the UK Government is serious about building an NHS that is fit for the future, and which shifts more healthcare from hospital to community, they simply cannot continue to overlook end of life care.

"We continue to call on the Treasury to allocate a small proportion of its transformation fund to improve palliative and end of life care, enabling investment in innovative and integrated services which we know are better for patients and save money for the NHS.

"We are disappointed that the necessary commitments to fix the crisis in palliative and end of life care were not made today. But we hope that when the UK Government publishes its new 10 Year Plan for health in the coming weeks, they will use it as a vital opportunity to set out plans to fix end of life care for good.

"Dying people can't wait any longer for action, and neither can our NHS."