UK hospices warn of bed closures and staff cuts as energy bills soar

Rising costs, increased demand and a collapse in public fundraising mean palliative care providers face ‘very difficult decisions’

Hospice charities providing end-of-life services in partnership with the NHS have warned they will have to shut beds and sack staff because of the catastrophic impact of rising energy bills on their day-to-day running costs.

The UK’s network of independent, mainly voluntary-run palliative care providers said hospices were experiencing a perfect storm of soaring costs and rising demand just as revenues from traditional public fundraising methods are collapsing.