As Members of Parliament prepare to debate and vote on legislation that would legalise assisted dying for terminally ill adults in England and Wales, end-of-life charities are urging the government to address serious shortcomings in palliative care. These charities argue that the current system is uneven, with many areas lacking sufficient funding and resources to provide adequate care for those nearing the end of their lives. Palliative care focuses on improving the quality of life for people with serious illnesses, often by managing pain and other symptoms. Hospice UK’s chief executive, Toby Porter, emphasized that it is "unsanctionable" for someone to consider assisted dying due to fears about not receiving the necessary care or pain relief. He pointed out that despite general agreement from both supporters and opponents of the legislation on the need to improve hospice funding, the situation has worsened over the past two years, with hospice services shrinking and community visits declining. Marie Curie, a leading end-of-life charity, has written an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham, urging the UK to improve its end-of-life care. The charity’s chief executive, Matthew Reed, highlighted that many people face avoidable pain, poverty, and uncertainty at the end of their lives. According to recent research by Marie Curie, nearly one in three people who are dying have unmet palliative care needs, affecting over 200,000 individuals across the UK each year. As the population ages, the need for improved palliative care is expected to grow significantly without additional investment. Prime Minister Andy Burnham has confirmed he will abstain from the vote on the assisted dying legislation to avoid influencing the debate. He previously stated that fixing palliative care funding should be a priority before considering legalising assisted dying. According to polling by Ipsos for the Press Association, 34% of people surveyed believe assisted dying should be legal only if it is accompanied by increased investment in state-funded end-of-life care. Meanwhile, 30% of respondents supported legalising assisted dying even without additional funding for palliative care. Steve Smith, chief executive of St Christopher’s, a hospice in south London, warned that current hospice funding is "not sustainable." He noted that nearly 60% of hospices have either made or are considering cuts to frontline services, despite rising demand for care. At St Christopher’s, demand has increased by nearly 50% over the past six years, with a 13% rise in home visits in the last year alone. Smith stressed that charitable donations cannot replace the need for a fair and sustainable national funding system. He called for the government to fully fund specialist palliative care through the NHS, provide long-term contracts that account for rising costs, ensure consistent funding across the country, and allow hospices to match NHS pay increases.