National Audit Office reports nearly two-thirds of independent hospices in deficit in 2023-24 as demand increases
Hospices in England are cutting hundreds of beds and staff because of a funding crisis, despite a sharp rise in demand for palliative care, a damning report warns.
People needing end of life care faced a postcode lottery because access to services was so patchy, the National Audit Office (NAO) reported.
A lack of government oversight meant ministers were unaware of how reliant they were on independent hospices, its 52-page report found.
The NAO said nearly two-thirds of independent hospices in England reported a deficit in 2023-24. Overall expenditure was £78m more than income generated.
