Shropshire MPs' column - the latest from the county's representatives in Westminster

Recently in Parliament, I attended an event hosted by Together for Short Lives, a charity which supports seriously ill children and their families.

Although the event was held in Westminster, there was a strong Shropshire connection.

Together for Short Lives supports Hope House Children’s Hospice, which has been caring for seriously ill children here in Shropshire for 30 years.

For adults, Severn Hospice has offered specialist end-of-life care across Shropshire for 35 years.

Although many people find it an uncomfortable subject, the funding, availability and quality of palliative care is currently a hot topic in Parliament.

According to Hansard, in 2023, palliative care was mentioned fewer than 50 times in the House of Commons.

Since last July’s general election, it has been mentioned by Members of Parliament more than 500 times.

The sudden surge of interest in this subject is partly a result of the ongoing debate about assisted dying, and whether better, more widely available palliative care can alleviate the suffering of more seriously ill adults and children.

However, more recently, Members of Parliament from all parties have raised concerns about funding for hospices.

Many of my constituents will have seen hospice charity shops on their local high street.

I have visited many of these shops and met the superb volunteers who raise much needed funds. The funds raised by shops are essential for hospices’ survival.

On average, hospices receive about a third of their funding from the government.

The rest of the money they need, they must raise from the community.

However, with many hospices already facing financial uncertainty, this month the Government has added an additional pressure with its new ‘jobs tax’.

On April 6, employer National Insurance rose to 15 per cent.

While the NHS is exempt from the tax rise, hospices are being left with a bigger tax bill.

Together for Short Lives has estimated that the typical children’s hospice will now pay an extra £130,000 per year in employer National Insurance.

Severn Hospice says its costs will increase by £500,000 because of Labour’s tax rises.

Last month in Parliament, the Conservatives called for hospices to be exempt from the increase in National Insurance.

Labour MPs voted down that proposal.

The Government says it is giving hospices in England £100 million of new funding, but that money cannot be used to help with day-to-day running costs – only for major, one-off projects like improving patient accommodation.

Ministers say the extra taxes are needed to fund the NHS, but if hospices are forced to cut their services as their tax bills rise, an NHS hospital is exactly where many potential hospice patients will end up instead.

Hospices provide dignity in dying, support and respite for families and carers.

The government should exempt them from Labour’s new tax rises.