Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, Member of Parliament for Solihull West & Shirley, has written to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, alongside a number of West Midlands MPs, urging the Government to protect the future of the Children’s Hospice Grant; a vital funding lifeline for hospices supporting some of the most vulnerable children and families in the region.
A former NHS surgeon, Dr Shastri-Hurst first launched his campaign to preserve the Grant in September 2024. His efforts helped to secure renewed funding in the Autumn Budget that year. However, with the current settlement set to expire in March 2026, he has now reignited the campaign amid renewed uncertainty.
In the letter, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst (MP for Solihull West & Shirley), Rt Hon Sir Andrew Mitchell (MP for Sutton Coldfield), Dame Harriett Baldwin (MP for West Worcestershire), Saqib Bhatti MBE (MP for Meriden & Solihull East), Mark Garnier OBE (MP for Wyre Forest), Rt Hon Wendy Morton (MP for Aldridge Brownhills), and Bradley Thomas (MP for Bromsgrove) expressed their deep concern that a failure to extend the Grant could force services like Acorns Children’s Hospice, which serves hundreds of families across the West Midlands, to reduce capacity or, in the worst case, turn families away.
“These are young people and families already facing the most unimaginable situation,” the letter stated. “They need certainty. They deserve to know that the care they rely upon today will still be there tomorrow.”
This year alone, £26 million was distributed through the Children’s Hospice Grant across England, including more than £2 million to Acorns; funding that supports critical services such as clinical care, symptom management, respite breaks, bereavement support, and community outreach.
The MPs are calling on the Government to:
- Extend the Children’s Hospice Grant for a minimum of five years, and
- Uplift the funding annually in line with inflation, to reflect rising costs and ensure sustainability.
Dr Shastri-Hurst said:
“Acorns, like children’s hospices across the country, not only provides medical support but also emotional lifelines to families. We cannot let short-term uncertainty threaten long-term care. That is why my colleagues and I are calling for a firm, lasting commitment from the Treasury.”
The MPs have also invited the Chancellor to meet with them, along with representatives from Acorns and other hospices, to discuss the issue in person.
