Palliative Care: Children

Earlier this year, NHS England wrote to all integrated care boards (ICBs) requesting an update on the financial stability of hospices in their footprint and the steps being taken to mitigate risks, as a matter of urgency. We have now repeated this exercise, also triangulating data received from independent hospices via Hospice UK. This has provided ministers and NHS England with a clear up-to-date national picture of any hospices at risk of closure or significant service reductions, and the potential impact on patients, families, and the wider health care system. NHS England will continue to support ICBs where risks are identified.

We are providing approximately £80 million of revenue funding for children and young people’s hospices over three financial years, from 2026/27 to 2028/29, giving them the stability they need to plan ahead.

We are developing a Modern Service Framework (MSF) for palliative care and end-of-life care and recently published an interim update on the MSF in the form of a Written Ministerial Statement, accompanied by a letter containing further information for interested parties. I refer the Hon. Member to the Written Ministerial Statement HCWS88, which I gave to the House on 4 June 2026.