Rotherham Hospice voices the need for fairer funding in national inquiry

Rotherham Hospice has submitted written evidence to the Public Accounts Committee’s inquiry into the financial sustainability of adult hospices in England.

The inquiry follows a 2025 National Audit Office report which highlighted growing financial pressures across the sector. In 2023, total UK hospice income of £1.8bn comprised around £0.5bn of state funding, with the remainder coming from charitable sources. Many adult hospices reported the threat of needing to cut services by up to 20% without additional support, and an estimated 300 out of 2,200 inpatient beds were lost due to lack of funding. While the government has since committed £100m in capital funding for hospices in England, demand for palliative care is continuing to rise due to the UK’s ageing population.

Find out more about the inquiry here.

Our contribution draws on our experience as an Outstanding-rated hospice serving over 1,700 patients and their families every year, both at our Broom Road site and through our 24/7 Hospice at Home service.

We are proud to deliver care that is personalised, compassionate and cost-effective — but like hospices across the country, we face the ongoing challenge of meeting growing demand within an unsustainable funding model. Currently, just 37% of our annual running costs are met through our NHS contract with the local Integrated Care Board. The remaining 63% — over £6 million every year — must be raised through fundraising, retail and donations.

In our submission, we have called for a fair and consistent approach to hospice funding, so that no matter where someone lives, they can rely on high-quality end of life care when they need it most. We believe a national funding formula and more equitable commissioning would protect services, support our NHS partners, and give patients and families the dignity, choice and support they deserve.

As ever, we will continue to work alongside our community, our healthcare partners and policymakers to make the case for a stronger, fairer future for hospice care.

Together, we can ensure that everyone’s life ends with comfort, dignity and choice.