UK Hospice Funding Crisis: Impact on Palliative Care for the Aging Population

UK hospices, including St Catherine’s in West Sussex, are facing a severe funding crisis, impacting their ability to provide palliative care. Despite moving to a new state-of-the-art building, St Catherine’s had to close half of its rooms and lay off staff due to financial pressures. This situation is shared across the sector, with many hospices reducing services or closing beds, especially as demand for end-of-life care rises among the aging population. The UK government funds only 30% of hospice costs, forcing providers to rely heavily on donations, which have decreased due to the cost-of-living crisis. For instance, St Catherine’s, which costs £12 million annually to run, receives just £3 million from the state. As a result, many hospices are unable to meet the needs of dying patients, leaving families struggling to find care. The crisis is exacerbated by NHS pressure, with hospices having to take on more responsibility despite inadequate funding. Hospice UK calls for a sustainable funding model to ensure that hospices can continue to provide essential care. Without such support, many hospices may need to scale back services, directly impacting the quality of care available to patients in their final days.

Sherwood, H. (2025, March 24). 'Hospices are in retreat': Funding crisis squeezing UK palliative care providers. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/mar/24/hospices-in-retreat-funding-crisis-squeezing-uk-palliative-care-providers