as New Data Reveals Legacy Gifts Fund 400,000 Nights of Hospice Care Nationwide. Six Essex hospice charities are joining forces for the second year of a powerful nationwide campaign to encourage people to consider leaving a gift in their will, as new data reveals the lifeline these legacies provide.
Farleigh Hospice, Havens Hospices, St Clare Hospice, St Helena Hospice, Saint Francis Hospice and St Luke’s Hospice are partnering again for the ‘This is Hospice Care’ campaign led by Hospice UK.
This year’s campaign comes as new data from Hospice UK reveals that gifts in wills provide vital funding for the nation’s hospices, supporting the equivalent of 400,000 nights of hospice care every year.
Essex hospices are joining 121 other hospices across the country to highlight the vital importance of gifts in wills in providing their specialist and compassionate care for future generations. Without this support, 30,000 nights of hospice care every month could disappear – that’s 7,500 every week.
The importance of hospice care is undeniable, with UK hospices having supported 310,000 people facing incurable and complex conditions last year.
The demand for palliative care is projected to increase by 25% nationwide by 2048. However, these figures tell only part of the story. Data from Hospice UK also reveals that 82% of palliative care now takes place outside the inpatient unit, including in people’s homes and in the community, showing that hospice care is much more than offering a place for someone to spend their final days.
Many people aren’t aware that hospices provide services free of charge, with only around 40% of the cost of care funded by the government. This varies by hospice; some receive lower levels of government funding.
Last year, 450 beds were out of use in UK hospices, primarily due to insufficient funding and financial pressures forcing hospices to scale back services. Many hospices have waiting lists, and demand for end-of-life care is rising. Hospices desperately want to reach everyone who needs them, but financial pressure is holding many back.
Through powerful real-life stories, the This is Hospice Care campaign shows how hospices support their community through their hardest days and how people in their local area can make giving back part of their legacy. From helping people manage their pain to planning birthday parties or delivering grief counselling, hospices provide comfort when it matters most.
A spokesperson on behalf of the Essex hospices said: “We’re proud to be part of this important campaign for a second year. The new data highlights how critical legacy gifts are to our ability to continue providing specialist care and support to people of all ages across the county living with incurable conditions.
Hospices like ours help them make the most of every day, offer personalised care tailored to their individual needs and wishes, and support loved ones during difficult times.
“With demand for hospice care increasing year-on-year across the county, it’s never been more important to consider supporting your local hospice with a legacy gift. These gifts ensure we can continue to be there for you, your loved ones and those who may need us in the future. Without them, thousands of vital hours of care across Essex could disappear.”
Catherine Bosworth, Director of Income Generation and Grants at Hospice UK, said:
“Gifts in Wills are the lifeline keeping our hospices open. Every single hour, someone receives care that wouldn’t exist without the generosity of people who choose to support hospice care in their Will. That’s the reality we’re working with and it’s becoming increasingly fragile, as funding pressures threaten hospice services, right when demand is rising.
Our ageing population means demand for hospice care will only continue to grow, so it’s vital that we do what we can to secure hospice care now. A gift in your will to a hospice doesn’t require parting with your money today, anyone can leave a legacy. Giftsof any size can make a significant difference – just £30 can fund a home care visit, £200 a specialist palliative care visit, it all helps hospices be there for people who need them.”
For more information about the ‘This is Hospice Care’ campaign or to find out how you can support your local hospice with a gift in your Will, please visit thisishospicecare.org.uk
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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 provide palliative and end of life care to around 310,000 people, and support 89,000 family members, friends, and carers. With an ageing population and increasing demand, their services will only be needed more in coming years. Yet, hospices remain underfunded and under increasing pressure.
Legacy giving plays a crucial role in keeping hospice care available for future generations, supplying 20% of hospice income and funding care for the equivalent of 30,000 people ayear. 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 2026 of 2,000 UK adults asking their thoughts on legacy giving and charitable donations.
Last year, legacies helped fund the care of one in ten patients at Havens Hospices. We must raise more than £208,000 each week to be there for everyone who needs us.
Havens Hospices is a charity that provides specialist care and support for people of all ages who are living with incurable conditions and their families. We work closely with the person and their health and social care professionals to ensure their care and support is the best it can possibly be, so everyone in our community can get the most from life, and make every day count.
Our specialist team offers a wide range of care and support options for patients and their loved ones, based on their needs and wishes. This can be in the comfort of their own home, in the hospices – Fair Havens for adults or Little Havens for children – or a combination.
Fair Havens covers the Southend, Rochford and Castle Point areas of South East Essex and Little Havens cares for babies, children and young people across the whole of Essex.
Our care and support includes everyone, extending to partners, family and friends to make sure the right support is there for patients and the people who matter to them, where and when they need it.This care is provided absolutely free of charge thanks to the kind donations from the community.
Farleigh Hospice is a charity that provides specialist palliative and end of life care to adults affected by life-limiting illnesses, and bereavement support to both children and adults in mid Essex.
At any one time, our doctors, nurses, counsellors and therapists take care of the physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of over 500 people in our community. This can be in the comfort of their own homes or in our specialist Inpatient Unit in the hospice.
It costs over £21,270 every day to provide our services free of charge. We can only do this thanks to the kind support of our local community, who help fund our care through donations, gifts in wills and money raised from fundraising activities.
St Clare Hospice is a charity providing specialist palliative care for people living with terminal or life-limiting illnesses across West Essex and East Herts border.
We care for patients and their families, providing physical, emotional, social, psychological and spiritual support, and ensuring they have timely access to skilled, compassionate and sensitive care in a place of their choice.
Our services are free of charge to those who need our care but cost around £8.1 million a year to run. With limited NHS funding we need to fundraise the majority of this each year through donations and other voluntary sources.
Saint Francis Hospice is a registered charity rated Outstanding by the CQC, providing expert palliative and end of life care to people across Havering, Barking and Dagenham, Redbridge, Brentwood and partsof West Essex.
We have been offering free, compassionate support for over 40 years, serving a community of nearly 1 million people.
Our care is delivered wherever it is needed most, on our ward, in our therapy and counselling services, and throughout the community.
85% of our care takes place in people’s homes or local settings, helping people remain where they feel most comfortable.
To provide this specialist care, we must raise nearly £9 million every year through the generosity of our supporters. Legacy gifts are essential, funding services for 1 in 5 people that Saint Francis Hospice cares for and ensuring hospice care remains available for future generations.
St. Luke’s Hospice is a local charity providing compassionate care to people whose illnesses are no longer curable. We promote dignity in dying and empower people to make the choices they want from the moment they are diagnosed.
Our care considers people’s medical, spiritual and emotional needs, including support for loved ones and carers. Anyone living in Basildon and district can call on us 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Working alongside healthcare professionals, our specialist services are available at the Hospice, out in the community or in a person’s own home.
We are a charity and the services we provide are free. We rely on voluntary income from local people to deliver the care they deserve.
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