THE issue of financial support for hospices struggling with the cost of energy bills was raised in Parliament.

Last week St Mary's Hospice declared that it had run out of government funding and had been put in a "perilous position." 

The South Lakes MP Tim Farron brought up the issue during a Westminister Hall debate on March 29.

Mr Farron said: "The support that businesses get will expire, which is a problem that we could address.

“Lumped under the category of ‘businesses’ are our hospices, which have seen a 350% increase in fuel bills. Not only are they getting insufficient support now, but they will soon get nothing.

“Will the Minister consider a special package to support hospices, which clearly cannot turn the heating down?”

Responding, the Energy Minister Amanda Solloway said: “I assure him that I am reaching out to a whole host of stakeholders, and am talking to a variety of groups about that very issue.

“Alongside the support we are offering to households, there is the energy bill relief scheme, introduced in October 2022 for the winter; we will continue to run it until the end of the month.

“The support offered by this package is worth £7.3 billion and is available across the United Kingdom.”