MP urges Govt to recognise Air Ambulances in upcoming budget

Claire Young, Liberal Democrat MP for Thornbury & Yate, has used Air Ambulance Week to urge the government to recognise the huge role these services play in protecting people’s health and ensure they get the funding they need to operate properly.

At present, most Air Ambulance charities receive little to no central government funding. This means they have to rely on donations and fundraising in order to operate and fund their activities – and are not eligible for funding from organisations like the National Lottery fund.

In a recent meeting with the Great Western Air Ambulance, Claire Young MP spoke with their Chief Exec Anna Perry about how the service supports people across South Gloucestershire and beyond but is currently limited due to teams being based in different locations.

She heard how due to the varied nature of their work, which includes operating helicopters, cars, airbases, and clinical equipment, they need large amounts of capital funding upfront in order to purchase and maintain these vital tools and base of operations.

In 2019, the then government provided £10million of capital funding to 9 air ambulance charities across the UK. However, this funding has not been replaced or replicated, leading to concerns over the future of these important charities.

So to mark Air Ambulance Week, Claire Young has pressed the Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Health Secretary Wes Streeting over their funding and is urging them to use the upcoming Autumn Statement to introduce a new capital fund to support their work.

Commenting, Claire Young MP said:

“Every single day, air ambulance charities undertake vital work helping support those in medical need. Their work is so varied, including heading out into hard-to-reach areas where other emergency and first-responder services would struggle to access.

“But despite their tireless work, they currently receive no government funding and are instead reliant upon charitable donations to stay in the air. This means as bills continue to rack up, especially for new equipment, their future is always in doubt.

“On a recent visit to the Great Western Air Ambulance, I heard first-hand just how crippling it would be if they are left to soldier on alone – especially given that staff are based in different locations across the region.

“The last time they received central funding was in 2019. However, this funding has now run dry and this leaves them unable to bring these teams together in one central hub.

“That’s why I have asked the Chancellor and Health Secretary about the funding Air Ambulance charities receive and am urging them to use the upcoming Autumn Statement to recognise their work.”