PENRITH MP Rory Stewart is celebrating 'amazing news' for Cumbrian hospices after the Government pledged to make them exempt from tax.

Chancellor George Osborne announced in his autumn statement yesterday that hospices caring for the terminally ill would have their VAT refunded - generating £4 million for the charities nationwide.

Hospice finances are under pressure due to the country's ageing population with people living longer but needing care.

Conservative member, Mr Stewart said he, along with other MPs, had campaigned for the break and that it was part of his 2010 election manifesto.

Mr Stewart said he had attended numerous meetings with Cumbrian hospice charities, as well as bringing the former Secretary of State for Health, Andrew Lansley, to visit Eden Valley Hospice on its 20th anniversary to understand more about the issues.

The Carlisle-headquartered charity provides specialist care to adults and children throughout Cumbria, as well as caring for their families, friends and carers.

Mr Stewart said: "In the autumn statement we have delivered a tangible measure that will help our hospices to operate and to do their amazing work delivering palliative care not only to the patient, but care to the families whose loved ones are nearing the end of their lives."

“Cumbria’s hospice tradition is legendary: in both Eden Valley Hospice and Hospice at Home we have two enormously impressive home-grown charities that provide the most crucial of support at what is the most difficult and challenging time in a person’s – and their family’s - life."

"With over one third of constituents about to be over 65, and the number over 85 doubling, what we often need is not necessarily the technical expertise of the acute hospitals, but the preventative care led from community hospitals.

"This recognition in the Chancellor's Autumn Statement is absolutely amazing news - reducing fiscal burden on the NHS whilst improving the dying days of a great many citizens - and I am thrilled to have been able to support our hospices over the past almost five years."