Welsh hospices will receive £4 million of government funding, health secretary Eluned Morgan has announced.

The funding will ensure people across Wales continue to receive palliative and end-of-life care from the network of hospices, which traditionally rely on fundraising and charitable donations.

The Welsh government said the cost-of-living crisis has made fundraising increasingly difficult, making it harder for hospices to retain and recruit staff – some have had to consider whether they can continue to maintain services.

Cabinet secretary Morgan said: "Hospices and end-of-life care services are highly valued, and they play a really important role in supporting families at some of the most difficult times in their lives."

She said hospices also support the NHS to provide essential care to around 20,000 who need palliative and end-of-life care every year.

"This funding will help to ensure they can continue to provide these vital services and keep on providing high-quality care across Wales," she added. 

The funding, which will be shared by Wales’ 12 commissioned hospices, will help to maintain services, meet staffing costs, and improve the quality of end-of-life care provided to individuals and families.

More than £770,000 will go to the two children’s hospices – Ty Gobaith and Ty Hafan – which support children and young people living with a life-limiting condition.

Associate director of Strategic Partnerships and Services at Marie Curie Cymru, Rachel Jones, said: "Today's announcement of funding to support charitable hospices in Wales is welcome but we need a more sustainable funding model.

"As a charity, we are fortunate to have amazing supporters who help raise vital funds to enable us to deliver services to support and care for individuals and their loved ones across Wales, but relying on this generosity is not sustainable and we are not isolated from the impacts of the cost-of-living crisis."

The funding is part of phase 3 of the Welsh government’s end-of-life care review. £4 million was provided to support hospices in 2023 to 2024.