Hospice UK responds to £5m Scottish hospice funding announcement

Hospice staff in Scotland will receive pay on par with their NHS counterparts, following a £5 million funding pledge from the Scottish Government.

The investment, outlined in the 2025–26 Budget, will help ensure that frontline workers delivering vital palliative and end of life care in independent hospices are fairly paid in line with NHS pay scales.

Toby Porter, CEO of Hospice UK said: "We welcome the Scottish Government’s announcement of the distribution of £5 million in funding for the hospice sector. This is a positive step that acknowledges the serious financial pressures hospices are facing and the importance of their services.

"While this is welcome, it cannot be a one-off. Hospices will need long-term sustainable funding to keep pace with NHS pay uplifts from 2025/26 and beyond, to protect staff and services. A national funding framework is also needed to ensure fair and consistent support for the sector.

"We look forward to working with the Scottish Government to achieve pay parity for hospice staff and ensure hospice funding is sustainable and fit for the future."