We are urging people across the Wakefield district to consider leaving a gift in their Will, as new figures highlight the growing pressure on hospice and end of life care.
We join 127 hospices across the country, uniting for a second year behind the This is Hospice Care campaign.
Almost 1 in 3 people across the UK are dying without the palliative care and support they need, according to new research from Marie Curie.
At the same time, hospices across England ended the last financial year with a collective deficit of more than £70 million – more than double the previous year, according to Hospice UK.
The figures underline why long-term support from the local community is so important, including gifts left in Wills.
We provide specialist support for people living with a life-limiting illness, as well as their families. This can include managing symptoms, providing emotional support, helping people remain independent and supporting families through bereavement.
Demand for palliative and end of life care continues to grow. Marie Curie’s research estimates that around 200,000 people across the UK are dying with unmet palliative care needs, with this number expected to increase further without additional support.
For local hospices, sustainable income is essential to ensuring services can continue to be there for people when they need them.
Rob Edden, our Director of Finance, said: “The need for hospice care is not going away. We know that more people will need specialist palliative and end of life care in the years ahead, while hospices are also facing significant financial pressures. At The Prince of Wales Hospice, gifts in Wills are a vital part of the care we provide. They help towards funding the care of seven out of ten people who use our services and give us the confidence to plan for the future. A gift in your Will can make a difference long after you have gone. It could help a future patient receive expert care, help a family through an incredibly difficult time or help someone spend precious time with the people they love.
A gift does not have to be large to make a lasting difference. We would simply encourage people to consider remembering their local hospice when making or updating their Will, after they have provided for the people closest to them.
We are keen to stress that leaving a gift in a Will does not mean giving up anything today. A gift can be left after family and loved ones have been provided for, allowing people to make a lasting contribution to the future of hospice care.
For us, legacy gifts can provide a vital source of long-term income, helping them continue to support local people and their families for generations to come.
We are asking people across the Wakefield district to consider leaving a gift in their Will and helping make sure specialist hospice care is there for future generations.
To access more information on the Will writing services visit www.pwh.org.uk/giftinyourwill.
