Why Are Hospices Closing Beds? The UK Funding Crisis Explained
Why are hospices across the UK closing beds and cutting services? We explain the funding crisis, what it means for families, and how you can help.
Every time you make a donation to Hospice Aid UK, you help a hospice continue to provide specialist end-of-life care and respite support – today, tomorrow, and in the weeks ahead.
With just one click or a quick phone call, you can help UK hospices provide comfort, dignity, and care to people who need your support. Whether at the end of life, during a period of respite, or following a bereavement, every donation makes a difference.
Your support helps fund urgent equipment like specialist beds, pressure-relieving mattresses, and vital medical supplies.
Choose the way that works best for you:
Please make cheques payable to HOSPICE AID UK. Send cheques or request a Direct Debit form from:
Hospice Aid UK
1st Floor
48 Chancery Lane
London
WC2A 1JF
For almost 25 years, Hospice Aid UK has repeatedly supported hundreds of hospices across the uk
In 2025 alone, we’ve distributed thousands of pounds in urgent grants to help buy specialist equipment and fund frontline care
Real help, exactly where and when it’s needed
“Your donation means the world to me and my mother June who had dementia. She couldn’t string a sentence together, but in the last weeks of her life, she said to me, “I want you with me, Jules, I want to go home”.
Garden House Hospice made this possible. Mum came home for the last week of her life, and the house was filled with joy, music, we had friends over, we had movies on. It was a truly incredible experience and the incredible team made four visits a day.
Thank you for helping make it possible.”
Jules, Garden House Hospice Care
Be part of something that matters.
Without the money we receive from fundraising and legacies, Hospice Aid UK would be able to help far fewer Hospices across the UK. Your gift will be vital in improving the lives of thousands of people. These are just some of the ways in which your generosity could help:
buys a memory candle for a family
funds 2 cloth bags for returning belongings to a family
buys a set of Wendyletts sheets
buys a stethescope
will buy a pain relieving syringe driver
buys an Octoscope
provides a laptop for a hospice
provides a cuddle cooling blanket for post-mortem care
“We are looking forward to all our future events – ‘the new bespoke branded gazebos will make a huge difference not just to fundraising but also in raising awareness of the services we deliver both here at Tapping House and in the Community. On behalf of all our staff, volunteers, patients and their family and friends, we thank you – we really are nothing without the support of our most valued sponsors”
Julie Williams, Trust Fundraiser Tapping House hospice
A gift in your will can bring dignity, peace, and support to patients when they need it most.
“I want to express our gratitude for your donation which means we can continue to provide essential care, support, and joy to children facing life-shortening conditions and their families in Wales.
Your ongoing partnership is invaluable and your support is making a huge difference to the children and families we support in Wales
We truly appreciate your support and look forward to working together for the children and families who count on us.”
Sarah Grimes, Grants and Trusts Officer at Tŷ Hafan
“Thank so much for the recent donation towards memory making services at Demelza. I told the team and they wanted to make you a short thank you video, so here it is!”
Demelzia Children’s Hospice
Why are hospices across the UK closing beds and cutting services? We explain the funding crisis, what it means for families, and how you can help.
Valentine’s Day fills shop windows with hearts and roses, and our social media feeds with declarations of love. But for the thousands of families across the UK who are caring for someone with a terminal illness, love looks very different right now. It’s quieter. More worn in. And often far braver than anything you’d find in a greeting card.
CAF has announced that it is phasing out both CAF Vouchers and CAF CharityCards. The key date to remember is 1st May 2026 – after this date, donors will no longer be able to use these methods to make donations. Charities then have until 1st August 2026 to process any vouchers they’ve received.
There’s something about January that makes us pause and think. Maybe it’s the quiet after the festivities, or the blank pages of a new calendar. Whatever it is, many of us find ourselves wondering: what could I do this year that really matters?
Christmas is a time when many of us think about what truly matters. Whether you have five minutes or five hours, a few pounds or a bit more to spare, here are twelve ideas that can make a genuine difference.
Christmas is a time when many of us think about what truly matters. Whether you have five minutes or five hours, a few pounds or a bit more to spare, here are twelve ideas that can make a genuine difference.
What Is Palliative Care? Understanding Hospice Care in the UK If someone you love has received a serious diagnosis, you might be hearing terms
When you turn each page of our 2026 hospice charity calendar, you’re not just marking another month, you’re helping hospices across the UK provide exceptional end-of-life care when families need it most.
Hospices are places where people live well with life-limiting illnesses, where families find support and respite, and where expert teams work to improve quality of life at every stage. Here’s what hospices really do.
When Kenneth Essex decided to celebrate his 101st birthday, he didn’t just blow out candles on a cake. Instead, this remarkable centenarian laced up his walking shoes and set himself a challenge: 10 kilometres in 10 days to support hospices across the UK.
“Now that we’ve had our snazzy new washing machine installed, I just wanted to say thank you once again.
Funding the unexciting essentials can be a huge challenge for hospices. We continue to be so grateful that you actively recognise this and support hospices in need. Our nurses are thrilled with the new washing machine, which is constantly in use ensuring our patients receive the highest standards of care.”
Queenscourt Hospice, Southport
