Marie Curie responds to the Spending Review and additional hospice sector funding announcement
Comment published
Marie Curie, the UK’s leading end of life charity and largest charity provider of hospice care outside the NHS, responds to the Spending Review and announcement of £125 million additional funding for the hospice sector through the Government’s “Winter Plan”.
End of life charity Marie Curie Chief Executive Matthew Reed said:
“Emergency funding for hospices is hugely welcome, and will help Marie Curie and other hospice providers to confidently continue providing essential hospice care and hospice at hometo support dying people and their families this winter.
“It is crucial the Government ensure that increases in funding for the NHS mean increases in support across the four UK nations. It is also critical that funding for health and social care reaches palliative care services in all settings. We must not forget that more than 30,000 extra people have died in their own homes during the pandemic - a stark reminder that end of life care does not just happen where there are hospices.
“Everyone deserves the best possible end of life experience, but despite this short term funding the practical reality of delivering it grows ever more challenging. The pandemic has given us a frightening glimpse into a future if we do not fund end of life care sufficiently, not just now but also in the longer term.
“We also welcome the commitment to additional investment in mental health services. The pandemic has left hundreds of thousands of people bereaved across the UK. It is crucial that this funding helps improve the availability of services for those who need support following the death of a loved one.
“We are deeply concerned that the Government has not announced an extension to the £20 per week uplift to Universal Credit after April 2021. This additional money provides critical support for many people on a low income nearing the end of their lives. The Government urgently need to announce an extension to this uplift, and to provide the same increase to terminally ill people who remain on legacy benefits.”