Following the Spending Review 2025, Together for Short Lives has called on ministers to deliver the government’s plan to provide the best start in life by investing in care and support for the growing number of seriously ill children and their families.
The UK’s leading children’s palliative care charity has welcomed the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves’ announcements, which include:
- a 3% real terms funding boost for the NHS in England, equivalent to a £29 billion real terms annual increase for its budget;
- a commitment to reform children’s social care, investing £555 million to make sure families have timely support; and
- a commitment to reform the current special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) system to make it more inclusive and improve outcomes for all children and young people.
Nick Carroll, Chief Executive of Together for Short Lives, said:
“Seriously ill children and their families deserve the chance to live a full life, supported by care that enables them to thrive. But for many, it’s a lonely and isolating experience. Parents and siblings struggle in a system that doesn’t meet their uniquely challenging needs.
“I welcome the principles that the Chancellor set out in announcing the Spending Review. We must give children the best start in life and the opportunity to succeed, including seriously ill children, many of whom will not reach adulthood.
Together for Short Lives estimates that the gap in NHS funding for children’s palliative care in England is £310 million. It has also identified a £2.4 million annual funding gap in GRID and special interest (SPIN) training in palliative care for paediatric consultants—in addition to other funding gaps in educating and training other professionals, including community children’s nurses.
The charity states that it is one of the main barriers preventing seriously ill children and their families accessing the care they need; less than one fifth of local NHS areas in England plan and fund 24/7 end of life care for children at home.
Amid patchy and unsustainable local NHS funding, children’s hospices in England face a cliff-edge in March 2026. There is currently no commitment from the government to continue £26 million of ringfenced NHS funding, formerly known as the Children’s Hospice Grant, beyond this date.
Nick Carroll continued:
“The money and the reforms announced by the Chancellor should give the government a platform to meet the funding challenges seriously ill children face. I call on ministers to act urgently by committing to maintaining and increasing ringfenced NHS funding for children’s hospices – and holding a full review into the way children’s palliative care is planned and funded in England. The money needed to fix the issues across children’s palliative care is tiny when compared to the annual increases announced by the Chancellor.
“I also welcome the money announced for children’s social care. This must fund crucial support like short breaks for respite which are vital in reducing the risk of families with seriously ill children reaching crisis point. In reforming the SEND system, the government must make sure that seriously ill children’s access to an education that meets their needs is enhanced, not restricted.
“Ministers only have one chance to get it right for each seriously ill child. Time is short, and many will not be alive by the time the next Spending Review takes place. If they fail to act, more seriously ill children and their families will be denied access the lifeline care and support they rely on.
You can read Together for Short Lives’ full representation to HM Treasury ahead of the Spending Review here.
