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What we offer

We help people in north east Essex face incurable illness and bereavement, supporting them, their families, friends and carers.

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How you can help us

A third of our funding comes from the NHS, the remaining two thirds is raised from the generosity and support of people like you.

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Write to your local MP

The recent announcement about Budget changes will have a devastating effect on our ability to provide care to all the people who need us.

Changes to National Insurance and minimum wage have left St Helena Hospice facing extra cost pressures with concerns over last week’s Budget announcements leaving a financial black hole of over £385,000 which could affect our ability to offer crucial support to the more than 4,200 local people we care for each year.

The NHS and other public sector government bodies are protected from National Insurance because what they pay is reimbursed back from the Treasury. But currently there is no such protection for charities such as St Helena. 

This is why we’re asking you to help amplify our message by writing to your local MP, to remind them that their decisions have serious implications and urge them to rethink the choice to exclude hospices from the National Insurance exemption that the public sector receive. We hope their advocacy may lead to a reconsideration of the decision to exclude hospices and other charities from the National Insurance reimbursement. Taking this simple action could make all the difference to the future of St Helena Hospice.

We're asking you to write to your local MP to urge them to exclude hospices and other charities from the National Insurance reimbursement

Here's how you can help

1. Copy the draft letter template below into an email. You can copy text on a desktop computer by selecting the section you wish to copy using your mouse, right clicking and selecting the copy option. Then open a new email, right click and select paste. You'll need to edit the information in [brackets] including your MP's name, your town and your name at the bottom. 

2. You can send the email as is, or for more impact, you could personalise it as someone who knows first hand the difference St Helena makes to local people. 

3. Now send it to your local MP. We have included a list of local MPs below. If you're unsure, you can find your local MP and their contact details by entering your postcode on the UK Parliament website.

Draft email

Dear [MP’s name], 

I am a resident of [insert town] and am urgently asking for your support to address a severe funding crisis facing hospices like St Helena, which serves our community here in north east Essex with compassionate end of life care and bereavement support. 

The recent Budget changes - such as increases to National Insurance and minimum wage - have created a dangerous financial black hole of over £385,000 for St Helena Hospice. This funding gap could devastate their ability to serve over 4,200 local people annually. Imagine being unable to offer crucial support to families in their darkest hours due to lack of funds. 

Here’s what’s at risk: 

  • St Helena relies on community donations for 80% of its funding, with only 20% of its funding coming from the NHS. 

  • It already costs over £54,000 each day to operate, and next year, they will need to find an additional £1,000 daily to cover the gap. 

  • This could mean turning away up to 44 families who need inpatient care at the Hospice in Colchester - a scenario no one should accept. 

I am urging you to support an extension of the National Insurance reimbursement to include hospices and other essential organisations like St Helena that are vital to the quality of life and death in communities up and down the country.  

This action will be a lifeline for hospice services, allowing them to continue providing comfort, dignity, and joy at the end of life for the people you love. 

Please don’t let our hospices face this crisis alone. Your advocacy can make a real difference. 

Thank you for your attention. 

Sincerely, 
[Your Name] 

MP details

AreaMPPartyEmail addressHow to address them
South SuffolkJames CartlidgeConservativejames.cartlidge.mp@parliament.uk James Cartlidge
ColchesterPam CoxLabourpam.cox.mp@parliament.uk Pam Cox
Harwich and North EssexSir Bernard JenkinConservativebernard.jenkin.mp@parliament.uk Sir Bernard
West SuffolkNick TimothyConservativenick.timothy.mp@parliament.ukNick Timothy
BraintreeJames CleverlyConservativejames.cleverly.mp@parliament.uk Mr James Cleverly
ClactonNigel FarageReform UKnigel.farage.mp@parliament.uk Nigel Farage
WithamPriti PatelConservativewithammp@parliament.uk Priti Patel

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We are very grateful to our donors who offer to offset some of these fees with a minor addition to their total amount. This is however completely optional and we are very grateful for your support whether or not you choose to contribute to processing fees.

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We are able to claim an extra 25p on every £1 on your donation amount for no extra cost to you, as long as you are a UK tax payer; have paid enough income tax or capital gains tax in that tax year; and are donating your own money. If you pay less income tax and/or capital gains tax than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all of your donations in that tax year it is your responsibility to pay any difference. For more information about Gift Aid, please visit https://www.gov.uk/donating-to-charity/gift-aid
 

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