Manifesto for bereavement support, palliative and end-of-life care

1. Deliver a new funding solution for hospices and palliative and end-of-life care to end the postcode lottery in access

On average, hospices receive one third of funding from the Government. Without fairer funding, the hospice sector faces a difficult future and will not be able to meet the growing need for PEoLC. Government must work with us to find a sustainable funding solutions.

2. Introduce a national delivery plan for PEoLC in every nation to support the delivery of local services

PEoLC should be available to everyone no matter where they live. We need the right services to be commissioned (planning and delivering), in the right places and available at the right time.

3. Guarantee that PEoLC services meet each individual’s needs, including those of people dying at home

For most of us, our experience of dying will be made better by our chance to personalise our care, this involves choosing things like where and how you want to receive care. People need to be supported to share what is important to them towards the end of life and with the need for palliative care set to rise by 55% by 2030, services, workforce, systems and society need to be ready to respond.

4. Act to ensure that nobody dies in poverty and tackle inequalities in palliative and end-of-life care

No one should be excluded from receiving the best possible PEoLC because of their circumstances or background. We must take steps to stop people dying in poverty and to ensure that care is inclusive of all people’s needs.

5. Improve support for families and carers of people with a terminal illness, including implementing a cross-government bereavement plan.

Getting emotional and financial support when someone is dying for families and carers must be better. People should not have to spend the final part of their life worrying about money or how their loved ones will cope after their death.