Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment he has made of the economic effect of the covid-19 outbreak on the hospice sector; and what financial support he is providing to (a) hospices and (b) health charities to ensure that they can provide services during that outbreak.

Charities across the sector continue to play a crucial role in the national fight against Covid-19, supporting those who are most in need. This month we announced a £750 million pot intended to support charities providing key services and supporting vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis.

This included providing up to £200 million of funding this quarter to hospices, to support the NHS COVID-19 response. Further health charities will be eligible for support from the £750 million pot and last month we also provided an additional £5m to leading mental health charities.

Charities continue to have access to cross-cutting support already announced, including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which enables them to furlough staff.