Jonathan Ellis, director of policy at Help the Hospices, says:
"Hospices are a major provider of palliative care in the UK, but government funding for hospice care remains patchy and inconsistent, with some hospices receiving significant levels of funding while others get next to nothing.
"This review is a welcome first step by the government in delivering on its commitment to create a fair and sustainable per-patient funding system for hospice and palliative care services.
"An ageing population means more people will be dying and they will be dying with more complex needs. As demand for hospice and palliative care services increases, it is vital we have a transparent system of funding that meets the needs of people at the most vulnerable time of their lives.
“Everyone with a life-limiting and terminal illness should be able to receive the best quality care, wherever they choose to spend their last years, months or days.
"Dying is not just a health issue, so for this new system to work, it is essential that funding for palliative care meets the true costs of the care being provided, incorporating the social, emotional and psychological elements that are so central to hospice and palliative care.
"We look forward to working with the government in the coming year to make sure that the views of local charitable hospices are incorporated into this review."
