Prime Minister
10 Downing Street
London SW1A 2AA

Dear Sir Keir,

We write to you with a profound sense of urgency to propose a unique and impactful initiative to help save the hospice sector from their ever-growing financial shortfall.

For the duration of this parliament the first one hundred million pounds received each year into the government from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fines should be redirected to the hospice sector to maintain their essential work.

While start of life care is well-funded, end-of-life care is in crisis. Having engaged with the CEOs of numerous hospices, including many of the 30 hospices that have pledged their support to this campaign, it is heart-wrenching to witness the difficult choices they are being forced to make following years of economic struggles.

Across the country, hospices face multiple cutbacks and job losses, which are taking a devastating toll on their ability to serve the most vulnerable.

The 200 hospices operating across the UK provide essential support and end-of-life care to 300,000 of the nation’s most vulnerable children and adults. As Hope House Children’s Hospice keenly spells out: “We know that there are children and families in our local communities who are suffering. Too many receive support too late or not at all. Together with this campaign we can ensure that no one faces the death of their child alone.”

When we launched this campaign in May, the hospice sector was already fighting a projected shortfall of £70–100 million. However, the situation has since deteriorated significantly. We now call on your administration to seize this opportunity to alleviate the financial strain on hospices by adopting this proposal.

Our proposal

As an immediate measure to provide financial respite, we are urging the Government to ringfence the first £100 million collected from FCA bank fines each year for the hospice sector. This additional funding, allocated over the next five years of this Parliament, would help bridge the original shortfall while the Government develops a long-term, sustainable funding model.

It is worth noting that on November 26^th 2024, the FCA announced £50 million in fines alone. With the total fines expected to exceed £150 million by March, we propose the following:

• An immediate release of £75 million to the hospice sector.
• A further £75 million by April 2025.
• Each March thereafter, the first £100 million in FCA fines to be allocated to hospices.

This approach mirrors the precedent set with the allocation of Libor fines, ensuring that funds derived from financial misconduct benefit the public good. FCA fines, often levied for injustices affecting UK citizens, could not be put to better use than supporting hospices in their vital mission.

Coalition of support

Our campaign has garnered widespread backing:

• Support from over 30 hospices.
• Cross-party endorsements from more than 40 MPs and Peers
• A petition signed by 36,000 individuals.

We will deliver this letter in person to 10 Downing Street on Tuesday, 10th December at 3pm, alongside a coalition of hospices and MPs, to demonstrate the growing strength of public and parliamentary support behind this campaign.

For the sake of the 300,000 people who depend on hospices to each year, we implore your administration to act. This is an opportunity to make a lasting difference to the lives of countless families at their most vulnerable moments.

We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,
Corin and Trica Dalby