Newly released data from Hospice UK reveals that almost 6,000 hospice nurses are paid for by legacy gifts in Wills per year across the UK.
- Almost 6,000 hospice nurses are paid for by legacy gifts in Wills per year
- 30,000 people per year wouldn’t receive hospice care without legacy income
- 71% of the UK believes hospices deserve greater support
- Only 27% have considered leaving a gift to charity in their Will
- A coalition of 143 hospices across Great Britain, brought together by Hospice UK, is spotlighting the critical role of legacy donations, through its national campaign ‘This is Hospice Care’
This comes as a coalition of 143 British hospices, led by Hospice UK, continues its landmark ‘This is Hospice Care’ campaign, highlighting the impact that hospices have on the people they help and their families. Building on momentum from its initial launch, they want to encourage more people to consider leaving a gift to their chosen hospice – joining thousands of others whose final wishes are helping to secure the future of Britain’s hospices.
Hospices are experiencing a surge in demand, which will continue to grow. With 90% of people who die in the UK potentially benefiting from palliative care[1], and around 130,000 more people expected to die annually by 2040 compared to 2023[2], funding from legacy donations is critical to maintaining current service levels.
Worryingly, whilst legacy giving is growing across the charity sector, hospices’ share of the legacy market is declining. Despite over a third of the public (37%) saying that they’d like to donate to their local hospice in the future (peaking at 46% for Londoners), only 27% have considered gifting to a charity in their Will.
Despite 71% of the public believing hospices deserve more support, and over a third (37%) saying they’d like to donate to their local hospice in future, there remains a significant gap between intention and action. Against the backdrop of the cost-of-living crisis, with 50% feeling unable to donate to charity currently, legacy gifts offer an affordable way to create lasting impact without immediate financial pressure.
Many people still associate hospices solely with end-of-life care, unaware of the full spectrum of support they provide – from pain management and family counselling, to helping people with life-limiting conditions live as fully as possible. This campaign hopes to challenge these perceptions, by showcasing the true breadth of what hospice care really is, and inspire more people to consider donating to their chosen hospice in their Wills.
Leaving a gift in your Will is simple, and even a small gift can have a huge and lasting impact. Here’s how:
- Pick a hospice: this could be a hospice that had an impact on you or a loved one’s life, or simply your local hospice
- Write your Will, and include your choice of hospice, along with their registered name, address and charity number. If you prefer, you can also contact a solicitor for help to make sure your wishes are respected.
- You can find a solicitor by visiting the Law Society’s website lawsociety.org.uk
- Decide the type of gift – what or how much you leave in your Will is entirely your decision and you’ll also need to decide what type of gift you’d like to include. This is something your solicitor can also help you decide
- Leave a legacy
Catherine Bosworth, Director of Income Generation and Grants at Hospice UK, says:
“Hospices are more than a place where people go to die. They provide choice, dignity, and help families create lasting memories. They make life’s most difficult moments less scary – but they can only do this with enough funding.
With Government funding only covering around 40% of the care that hospices provide, charitable donations such as Gifts in Wills are absolutely crucial to making sure hospices can provide their dedicated, specialist care to everyone who needs it. We hope this campaign will encourage more people to recognise their chosen hospices for all that they do, and ensure they can be there for the next family who needs them.”
Get involved
Hospice UK is encouraging people to consider leaving a gift in their Will to support hospice care. Even a small legacy donation can make a significant difference in ensuring exceptional end-of-life support is delivered to those who need it most.
For more information, you can visit the campaign website, search ‘hospice gift in Will’ today, or simply visit your local hospice.
To watch the ‘This is Hospice Care’ video, click here.
To access the ‘This is Hospice Care’ campaign website, click here.
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A coalition of hospices across England, Scotland and Wales.
About Hospice UK
Hospices provide expert care, comfort, and dignity at life’s most challenging moments, helping people focus on living well until the very end. But this vital care wouldn’t exist without the generosity of those who donate.
As the national charity for hospice care, Hospice UK champions more than 200 hospices across the UK, ensuring they can continue delivering compassionate, personalised care to those who need it most.
Every year, hospices support around 300,000 people, but with an ageing population and increasing demand, this number is set to grow. Yet, hospices remain underfunded and under increasing pressure.
Legacy giving plays a crucial role in keeping hospice care available for future generations, with gifts in wills funding one in five hospice services. These donations ensure hospices can thrive – not just for today, but for years to come.
At Hospice UK, our mission is clear: to protect and promote hospice care for all who need it, for now and forever.
About the research
Data calculated by Hospice UK using figures from annual hospice accounts reports and activity surveys conducted by Hospice UK.
Data taken from a consumer research poll commissioned by independent research agency Opinium in January 2025 of 2,000 UK adults asking their thoughts on legacy giving and charitable donations.
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About the hospices
Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service
Alice House Hospice
Ardgowan Hospice
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
Ashgate Hospicecare
Ayrshire Hospice
Bassetlaw Hospice
Bethesda Hospice
Barnsley Hospice
Children Hospice Association Scotland
Children’s Hospice South West
City Hospice
Claire House Children’s Hospice
Compton Care
Cornwall Hospice Care
Countess of Brecknock House
Cransley Hospice Trust
Cynthia Spencer Hospice
Demelza Hospice Care for Children
Derian House Children’s Hospice
Dorothy House Hospice Care
Douglas Macmillan Hospice
Dove House Hospice
Dr Kershaw’s Hospice
East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices
East Lancashire Hospice
Eden Valley Hospice
Ellenor Hospice
Farleigh Hospice
Florence Nightingale Hospice Charity
Forest Holme Hospice Charity
Forget Me Not Children’s Hospice
Great Oaks, Dean Forest Hospice
Greenwich & Bexley Community Hospice
Harlington Hospice Association
Haven House Children’s Hospice
Havens Hospice
Helen and Douglas House Hospice Care for
Children and Young Adults
Highland Hospice
Hospice at Home West Cumbria
Hospice at Home, Carlisle and North
Lakeland
Hospice Charity Partnership
Hospice in the Weald
Hospice of St Francis
Hospice of the Good Shepherd
Hospice of the Valleys/Hosbis y Cymoedd
Isabel Hospice
Jessie May
Katharine House Hospice (Banbury)
Katharine House Hospice (Stafford)
Keech Hospice Care
Kemp Hospice
Kilbryde Hospice
Kirkwood Hospice
Lewis-Manning Hospice Care
Lindsey Lodge Hospice
Longfield Community Hospice
Macmillan Caring Locally
Martin House Children’s Hospice
Mary Stevens Hospice
Midhurst Palliative Care
Mountbatten Isle of Wight
Naomi House and Jacksplace Children’s Hospice
Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice
North Devon Hospice
North London Hospice
Nottinghamshire Hospice
Oakhaven Hospice
Overgate Hospice
Pendleside Hospice
Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice
Pilgrims Hospices In East Kent
Primrose Hospice
Princess Alice Hospice
Priscilla Bacon Hospice Charity
Prospect Hospice
Queenscourt Hospice
Rainbows Hospice for Children and Young People
Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care
Rosemary Foundation – Hospice at Home
Rossendale Hospice
Rowans Hospice
Royal Trinity Hospice
Saint Catherine’s Hospice (Scarborough)
Saint Francis Hospice
Saint Michael’s Hospice (Harrogate)
Salisbury Hospice Charity
Severn Hospice
Shooting Star Children’s Hospices
Sidmouth Hospice at Home
Sobell House
St Andrew’s Hospice (Grimsby)
St Andrew’s Hospice (Lanarkshire)
St Ann’s Hospice
St Barnabas House
St Catherine’s Hospice (Crawley)
St Catherine’s Hospice (Lancashire)
St Christopher’s Hospice
St Clare Hospice
St Columba’s Hospice care
St Cuthbert’s Hospice
St Elizabeth Hospice (Ipswich)
St Gemma’s Hospice
St Giles Hospice
St John’s Hospice (Lancaster)
St Joseph’s Hospice (London)
St Leonard’s Hospice
St Luke’s Cheshire Hospice
St Luke’s Hospice (Harrow & Brent)
St Luke’s Hospice (Basildon)
St Luke’s Hospice (Sheffield)
St Margaret’s Hospice (Somerset)
St Mary’s Hospice
St Michael’s Hospice (Hereford)
St Michael’s Hospice (St. Leonards)
St Nicholas Hospice Care
St Oswald’s Hospice
St Richard’s Hospice (Worcester)
St Rocco’s Hospice
St Teresa’s Hospice
St Vincent’s Hospice
St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Chichester)
St Wilfrid’s Hospice (Eastbourne)
Strathcarron Hospice
Teesside Hospice Care Foundation
Thames Hospice
The Bracken Trust
The Friends of the Wisdom Hospice
The Heart of Kent Hospice
The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice
The Rotherham Hospice
The Prince of Wales Hospice
Trinity Hospice and Palliative Care Services
Tynedale Hospice at Home
Wakefield Hospice
Weldmar Hospicecare
Weston Hospicecare
Wigan and Leigh Hospice
Willen Hospice
Willow Burn Hospice
Willowbrook Hospice
Wirral Hospice St John’s
Woking & Sam Beare Hospice
[1] Marie Curie. How many people need palliative care? Updated estimates of palliative care need across the UK, 2017-2021. Data and evidence briefing. [Internet]. Marie Curie; 2023 [cited 2024 Apr 16].
[2] Based on data from: Office for National Statistics (ONS). National population projections: 2020-based interim [Internet]. 2022 Jan 12 [cited 2024 Apr 16], and Office for National Statistics (ONS). Vital statistics in the UK: births, deaths and marriages [Internet] 2023 Feb 24 [cited 2024 Apr 16].
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