Campaign to give first £100mn of annual FCA fines to hospices gains support of 40+ MPs & peers
Melanie May | 3 December 2024 | News
More than 40 MPs and peers and 30 hospices are supporting a campaign proposing that the first £100 million of annual Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) fines be allocated directly to the hospice sector.
Launched by not-for-profit energy consultancy Box Power CIC, the campaign started from a change.org petition that now has over 36,000 signatures. It asks the general public to ask their MP to support the motion.
Based in Bolton, Corin Dalby, CEO of Box Power CIC, and Tricia Dalby, COO of Box Power CIC, are hoping to raise the support of a majority of MPs and will be handing their campaign letter in to 10 Downing Street on 10 December, joined by some of the supporting MPs.
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NHS contributions only cover 10% to 25% of hospices’ operating costs with hospices across the UK facing a £70 million funding shortfall when Box Power CIC’s campaign began.
Dalby said:
“We are calling for the public to write to their MP and ask them to support our campaign. As a supporter of hospices, it is heart-breaking to see many who have invested time and fundraising to keep hospices open struggle to cover basic operating costs.
“Some have tirelessly fundraised to build precious rooms left empty because they cannot fund them due to cost constraints, placing added burden on donations. It is shocking, despite the reality that a well-funded hospice sector would ease the pressure on NHS and social care, hospices only receive between 20-33% of state funding.
“There are hundreds of millions in annual FCA fines which go into the government pot and generally as a result of an injustice to the UK people who may benefit from the services offered by hospices, there is no better way to complete the circle by allocating these funds to the UK hospice sector.”
Recently, there have been FCA fines of £40 million for Barclay’s Bank and £13 million for Macquarie Bank, bringing the total for this year to £174 million.
The petition has attracted cross-party political support from MPs including Stuart Andrew, Phil Brickell, Kirith Entwistle, Sir Iain Duncan Smith, John McDonnell, Nadia Whittome, John Milne and Paul Kohler.
Hospices supporting the campaign include Weldmar Hospicecare, St Helena, Julia’s House, Children’s Hospices, Ardgowan Hospice, Weston Hospicecare, and Keech Hospicecare.
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.