What is palliative care and who pays for it?

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What is palliative care and who pays for it?

Palliative care helps people with serious or terminal illnesses by focusing on their comfort and quality of life. It supports physical, emotional, and practical needs.

If you receive palliative care in an NHS hospital or hospice, it’s free. For care at home, you can apply for NHS Continuing Healthcare (CHC) funding to pay the cost of nurses or other care professionals if needed. There’s a fast-track option for end-of-life care—your GP can start the process, or if you’re leaving the hospital, you can ask a social worker if the application has been submitted. While waiting for approval, you might need to pay for private care, but payments can be backdated to cover care from the date your application was approved.

NHS Continuing Health Care

Find out more about the funding process and how to make a claim.
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