Headline evidence · NHS waiting list · England · March 2012–August 2026

England’s NHS waiting list has tripled since 2012.

Around 6.2 million people were waiting for treatment in August 2026. Some need more than one treatment. The list has fallen from its 2023 peak, but waiting-time standards are still being missed.

Geography
England
Evidence period
March 2012 and August 2026
Evidence status
Published statistics
Editorial review
Reviewed 3 October 2026

The short version

How big is the treatment backlog?

The waiting list is three times its March 2012 size, and 61% above February 2020

Monthly waits for consultant-led treatment in England. One person can have more than one wait.

England · August 2007 to August 2026

30-year view · 1996–2026. Comparable data start in August 2007; the shaded years are unavailable. Older lists measured different stages of care. About the series.

Millions of pathwaysNo data0m5m10m2000201020207.37mMarch 2012: 2.44mFebruary 2020: 4.57mPeak 7.77m, Sep 2023

Latest: 7.37 million pathways, about 6.2 million people (August 2026, NHS England estimate).

The list is 61% above February 2020 and 5% below its peak. A smaller list does not necessarily mean shorter waits.

England · August 2007 to August 2026 · Official statistics

Show the workings — The waiting list is three times its March 2012 size, and 61% above February 2020
Geography:
England — Consultant-led elective care, all specialties
Measure:
Millions of pathways
Period:
August 2007 to August 2026
Status:
Official statistics
Calculation:
As published, including NHS England’s estimates for trusts that did not report.
Compare with:
March 2012 (long-run baseline, start of the 92% standard for waiting patients): 2.44 million; February 2020, just before the pandemic: 4.57 million
Not included / breaks:
Counts pathways, not people. Reporting in 2007–08 was less complete, as the 18-week standard was being introduced, so the long-run comparison uses March 2012. Community-service pathways were removed from February 2024, lowering the count slightly. Waiting-list validation (removing patients who no longer need treatment) also reduces the count without anyone being treated.

Source: NHS England, Referral to treatment (RTT) waiting times: overview time series including estimates for missing trusts.

View the data as a table
MonthPathways (millions)
Aug 20074.19
Aug 20082.68
Aug 20092.50
Aug 20102.68
Aug 20112.61
Mar 20122.44
Aug 20122.68
Aug 20132.94
Aug 20143.25
Aug 20153.51
Aug 20163.91
Aug 20174.07
Aug 20184.35
Aug 20194.56
Feb 20204.57
Aug 20204.29
Aug 20215.74
Aug 20227.07
Aug 20237.75
Sep 20237.77
Aug 20247.64
Aug 20257.40
Aug 20267.37

Two supporting measures

Budget 2026 · 28 October 2026

What the Budget means for nhs

3

Budget measures on this topic

£730m

Net cost, 2026–27

£120m

Net cost, 2029–30

Biggest single-year effect of each measure · red costs money, teal saves or raises it

  • Infected Blood Compensation Scheme2026–27−£360m
  • Further Priorities2026–27−£355m
  • Donated Medicines2029–30−£25m
The Budget in 2 minutes →Is it being delivered? →

Treasury costings certified by the OBR, not measured results. Topic links are UK Facts’ classification.

The evidence

Are the waiting standards being met?

Waiting standards remain out of reach

England · 30-year view, 1996–2026. The same time scale, different records: planned care begins in 2007; A&E in 2003. Shading marks the earlier unavailable years.

England · RTT August 2007 to August 2026; A&E 2003/04 to 2025/26

Planned care: waiting under 18 weeks

Shaded: 1996–July 2007 · data from August 2007.

Per cent of pathwaysNo data0%50%100%20002010202065.2%92% standard

A&E: within four hours (annual, all types)

Shaded: 1996–March 2003 · data from 2003/04.

Per cent of attendancesNo data0%50%100%20002010202074.9%95% standard

Annual A&E source data · financial years, 2003/04 onwards.

Planned care: 65.2% within 18 weeks (standard 92%). A&E: 74.9% within four hours in 2025/26 (standard 95%). The A&E headline above uses the latest month.

England · RTT August 2007 to August 2026; A&E 2003/04 to 2025/26 · Official statistics

Show the workings — Waiting standards remain out of reach
Geography:
England
Measure:
Per cent
Period:
RTT August 2007 to August 2026; A&E 2003/04 to 2025/26
Status:
Official statistics
Calculation:
As published. The two panels have different observation periods and are not combined.
Compare with:
Constitution standards: 92% (RTT) and 95% (A&E); NHS England targets for March 2027: 70% and 82%
Not included / breaks:
RTT counts pathways, not unique people. A&E covers all department types; major departments alone perform worse. Trusts testing alternative standards affected A&E reporting from 2019. Pandemic attendance changes affect interpretation. These panels use different time intervals.

Source: NHS England RTT and A&E time series.

View the data as a table
MeasurePeriodPer cent
RTT monthlyAug 200757.22
RTT monthlySep 200759.14
RTT monthlyOct 200759.33
RTT monthlyNov 200757.88
RTT monthlyDec 200756.46
RTT monthlyJan 200861.28
RTT monthlyFeb 200864.97
RTT monthlyMar 200866.01
RTT monthlyApr 200869.42
RTT monthlyMay 200873.25
RTT monthlyJun 200877.5
RTT monthlyJul 200881.16
RTT monthlyAug 200880.54
RTT monthlySep 200882.12
RTT monthlyOct 200885.04
RTT monthlyNov 200885.62
RTT monthlyDec 200885.2
RTT monthlyJan 200985.12
RTT monthlyFeb 200986.77
RTT monthlyMar 200987.18
RTT monthlyApr 200989.22
RTT monthlyMay 200989.34
RTT monthlyJun 200990.06
RTT monthlyJul 200989.92
RTT monthlyAug 200989.77
RTT monthlySep 200989.82
RTT monthlyOct 200989.93
RTT monthlyNov 200990.13
RTT monthlyDec 200989.97
RTT monthlyJan 201089.65
RTT monthlyFeb 201090.26
RTT monthlyMar 201091.12
RTT monthlyApr 201091.32
RTT monthlyMay 201091.86
RTT monthlyJun 201091.42
RTT monthlyJul 201090.85
RTT monthlyAug 201090.09
RTT monthlySep 201090.37
RTT monthlyOct 201090.25
RTT monthlyNov 201090.03
RTT monthlyDec 201088.62
RTT monthlyJan 201188.4
RTT monthlyFeb 201188.7
RTT monthlyMar 201189.49
RTT monthlyApr 201190.27
RTT monthlyMay 201190.94
RTT monthlyJun 201191.15
RTT monthlyJul 201190.53
RTT monthlyAug 201190.61
RTT monthlySep 201190.62
RTT monthlyOct 201190.88
RTT monthlyNov 201191.27
RTT monthlyDec 201191.33
RTT monthlyJan 201292.13
RTT monthlyFeb 201292.54
RTT monthlyMar 201293.22
RTT monthlyApr 201293.96
RTT monthlyMay 201294.33
RTT monthlyJun 201294.14
RTT monthlyJul 201294.04
RTT monthlyAug 201293.97
RTT monthlySep 201293.82
RTT monthlyOct 201294.2
RTT monthlyNov 201294.21
RTT monthlyDec 201293.91
RTT monthlyJan 201393.75
RTT monthlyFeb 201393.75
RTT monthlyMar 201394.24
RTT monthlyApr 201394.47
RTT monthlyMay 201394.82
RTT monthlyJun 201394.64
RTT monthlyJul 201394.45
RTT monthlyAug 201394.23
RTT monthlySep 201394.14
RTT monthlyOct 201394.06
RTT monthlyNov 201393.87
RTT monthlyDec 201393.48
RTT monthlyJan 201493.36
RTT monthlyFeb 201493.31
RTT monthlyMar 201493.56
RTT monthlyApr 201493.57
RTT monthlyMay 201493.56
RTT monthlyJun 201493.58
RTT monthlyJul 201493.2
RTT monthlyAug 201493.03
RTT monthlySep 201493.12
RTT monthlyOct 201492.89
RTT monthlyNov 201492.99
RTT monthlyDec 201492.58
RTT monthlyJan 201592.32
RTT monthlyFeb 201592.79
RTT monthlyMar 201592.86
RTT monthlyApr 201593.03
RTT monthlyMay 201593.24
RTT monthlyJun 201592.97
RTT monthlyJul 201592.64
RTT monthlyAug 201592.39
RTT monthlySep 201592.31
RTT monthlyOct 201591.91
RTT monthlyNov 201591.97
RTT monthlyDec 201591.4
RTT monthlyJan 201691.55
RTT monthlyFeb 201691.67
RTT monthlyMar 201691.06
RTT monthlyApr 201691.19
RTT monthlyMay 201691.41
RTT monthlyJun 201691.13
RTT monthlyJul 201690.87
RTT monthlyAug 201690.52
RTT monthlySep 201690.24
RTT monthlyOct 201690.27
RTT monthlyNov 201690.34
RTT monthlyDec 201689.55
RTT monthlyJan 201789.8
RTT monthlyFeb 201789.84
RTT monthlyMar 201790.14
RTT monthlyApr 201789.76
RTT monthlyMay 201790.25
RTT monthlyJun 201790.1
RTT monthlyJul 201789.71
RTT monthlyAug 201789.28
RTT monthlySep 201788.95
RTT monthlyOct 201789.14
RTT monthlyNov 201789.17
RTT monthlyDec 201788.09
RTT monthlyJan 201887.89
RTT monthlyFeb 201887.65
RTT monthlyMar 201887.02
RTT monthlyApr 201887.37
RTT monthlyMay 201887.95
RTT monthlyJun 201887.66
RTT monthlyJul 201887.64
RTT monthlyAug 201887.12
RTT monthlySep 201886.57
RTT monthlyOct 201886.97
RTT monthlyNov 201887.16
RTT monthlyDec 201886.46
RTT monthlyJan 201986.56
RTT monthlyFeb 201986.59
RTT monthlyMar 201986.32
RTT monthlyApr 201986.15
RTT monthlyMay 201986.49
RTT monthlyJun 201985.97
RTT monthlyJul 201985.47
RTT monthlyAug 201984.67
RTT monthlySep 201984.48
RTT monthlyOct 201984.36
RTT monthlyNov 201984.07
RTT monthlyDec 201983.39
RTT monthlyJan 202083.2
RTT monthlyFeb 202082.9
RTT monthlyMar 202079.55
RTT monthlyApr 202071.44
RTT monthlyMay 202062.62
RTT monthlyJun 202052.65
RTT monthlyJul 202047.3
RTT monthlyAug 202053.88
RTT monthlySep 202060.78
RTT monthlyOct 202065.56
RTT monthlyNov 202068.25
RTT monthlyDec 202067.94
RTT monthlyJan 202166.27
RTT monthlyFeb 202164.63
RTT monthlyMar 202164.38
RTT monthlyApr 202164.64
RTT monthlyMay 202167.41
RTT monthlyJun 202168.75
RTT monthlyJul 202168.27
RTT monthlyAug 202167.58
RTT monthlySep 202166.45
RTT monthlyOct 202165.63
RTT monthlyNov 202165.54
RTT monthlyDec 202163.85
RTT monthlyJan 202262.45
RTT monthlyFeb 202262.18
RTT monthlyMar 202262.15
RTT monthlyApr 202261.69
RTT monthlyMay 202263.57
RTT monthlyJun 202262.3
RTT monthlyJul 202261.09
RTT monthlyAug 202260.79
RTT monthlySep 202259.44
RTT monthlyOct 202259.69
RTT monthlyNov 202259.61
RTT monthlyDec 202257.62
RTT monthlyJan 202358.33
RTT monthlyFeb 202358.51
RTT monthlyMar 202358.64
RTT monthlyApr 202358.31
RTT monthlyMay 202359.49
RTT monthlyJun 202359.19
RTT monthlyJul 202358.61
RTT monthlyAug 202358.03
RTT monthlySep 202357.6
RTT monthlyOct 202358.17
RTT monthlyNov 202358.25
RTT monthlyDec 202356.58
RTT monthlyJan 202457.04
RTT monthlyMar 202457.21
RTT monthlyApr 202458.24
RTT monthlyMay 202459.09
RTT monthlyJun 202458.88
RTT monthlyJul 202458.82
RTT monthlyAug 202458.26
RTT monthlySep 202458.51
RTT monthlyOct 202458.93
RTT monthlyNov 202459.15
RTT monthlyDec 202458.94
RTT monthlyJan 202558.86
RTT monthlyFeb 202559.18
RTT monthlyMar 202559.78
RTT monthlyApr 202559.73
RTT monthlyMay 202560.93
RTT monthlyJun 202561.53
RTT monthlyJul 202561.28
RTT monthlyAug 202561.03
RTT monthlySep 202561.8
RTT monthlyOct 202561.76
RTT monthlyNov 202561.77
RTT monthlyDec 202561.51
RTT monthlyJan 202661.49
RTT monthlyFeb 202662.59
RTT monthlyMar 202665.3
RTT monthlyApr 202664.97
RTT monthlyMay 202665.57
RTT monthlyJun 202665.83
RTT monthlyJul 202665.4
RTT monthlyAug 202665.21
A&E annual2003/0490.99
A&E annual2004/0596.17
A&E annual2005/0698.18
A&E annual2006/0798.19
A&E annual2007/0897.88
A&E annual2008/0998.07
A&E annual2009/1098.28
A&E annual2010/1197.39
A&E annual2011/1296.63
A&E annual2012/1395.85
A&E annual2013/1495.69
A&E annual2014/1593.64
A&E annual2015/1691.91
A&E annual2016/1789.13
A&E annual2017/1888.34
A&E annual2018/1988
A&E annual2019/2084.17
A&E annual2020/2186.81
A&E annual2021/2276.74
A&E annual2022/2370.8
A&E annual2023/2472.14
A&E annual2024/2573.88
A&E annual2025/2674.93

Where does capacity run out?

Where patients wait—and what the targets cover

18 weeks covers referral to treatment. It excludes the wait to get a referral and the hospital stay afterwards. There is no single target or measured average for steps 1–4 together.

How long a wait covers 92% of the list

Standard18 weeks
Actual · August 202638.8 weeks

Both bars start at referral and use the same scale. Actual = elapsed waits among people still waiting, not completed treatment times. Source; excludes estimates for missing providers.

  1. 1. Getting a referral

    Starting point

    Seeking help and getting referred. The 18-week clock starts when the referral is received.

    No single time target covers this whole step.

    Explore this stage →

  2. 2. Diagnostic tests

    24.7% wait 6+ weeks

    People still waiting for one of 15 key tests · August 2026.

    Standard: fewer than 1% waiting 6 weeks or more.

    Explore this stage →

  3. 3. Starting treatment

    65.2% within 18 weeks

    August 2026. This clock includes diagnostics after referral.

    Standard: 92% of waiting pathways within 18 weeks of referral.

    Explore this stage →

  4. 4. Leaving hospital

    13,647 ready but still in hospital

    Daily average · September 2026. A patient count, not days of delay.

    Aim: timely, safe discharge once acute care is no longer needed.

    Explore this stage →

Where is the bottleneck? Diagnostics and treatment both miss their standards; delayed discharge also holds beds. These measures cover different patients and clocks, so they cannot establish which stage causes the most delay.

Sources and how the clocks differ

The median elapsed wait among people still waiting was 12.2 weeks in August 2026. This is not the eventual referral-to-treatment time or a separate treatment-stage delay. RTT statistical release.

Not everyone follows all four stages. Diagnostic waits can overlap the referral-to-treatment clock. NHS discharge-ready-date statistics measure delay after readiness for discharge, but do not track the same cohort as the referral and diagnostic data.

Does the public feel care is improving?

Survey-based evidence
NatCen British Social Attitudes surveyFieldwork: 26 August–6 October 2025Great Britain adults · public attitudes, including people without recent NHS contact

In the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey, 26% were satisfied with how the NHS runs and 51% were dissatisfied. These are views of adults across Great Britain, including people without recent NHS contact. They are not England-only waiting-time results or a measure of treatment quality.

Public attitudes since 1996, survey method and annual values

Published BSA annual estimates for adults in Great Britain. Interviews moved from face-to-face to online/telephone in 2020; the line breaks there. Historical sample bases vary. The latest fieldwork was in 2025; no 2026 result is supplied. Values have the publisher’s mixed rounding, so small changes are not calculated from this table.

% of responding adults0%50%100%20002010202026%51%
Annual data: Public views of how the NHS runs

Published BSA annual estimates for adults in Great Britain. Interviews moved from face-to-face to online/telephone in 2020; the line breaks there. Historical sample bases vary. The latest fieldwork was in 2025; no 2026 result is supplied. Values have the publisher’s mixed rounding, so small changes are not calculated from this table. A dash means no comparable observation is supplied; it is not zero. Each year uses a different survey sample.

1996–2026; % of GB adults. No change is calculated across definition or assessment breaks.

Public views of how the NHS runs; % of GB adults
YearSatisfiedDissatisfied
19963650
19973450
19984236
19994633
20004239
20013841
20024041
20034437
20044337
20054831
20064934
20075130
20085825
20096419
20107018
20115824
20126023
20136022
20146515
20156023
20166322
20175729
20185330
20196025
20205325
20213641
20222951
20232452
20242159
202526.350.6
2026No comparable observations supplied
2025 question
All in all, how satisfied or dissatisfied would you say you are with the way in which the National Health Service runs nowadays?
Fieldwork and responding base
26 August–6 October 2025; 3,464 adults. The smaller service-specific sample is not used here. Neutral, unknown and refusal responses remain in the denominator.
Sampling, weighting and uncertainty
Random address sample; online questionnaire with telephone option since 2020; face-to-face before 2020. Selection/nonresponse adjustments and calibration by age, sex, education, ethnicity and region; GB adults, not separate country weights. Sample estimates; published chart values have mixed rounding. No approximate confidence interval or significance test is calculated from the rounded history.

Source: The King’s Fund and Nuffield Trust analysis of NatCen’s BSA survey, published 25 March 2026. Full report and methodology. This is a reviewed historical release; a new wave requires a methodological check.

Why it is happening

Why the pressure persists

30-year view, 1996–2026. Shading marks unavailable years. Badges compare the labelled dates; percentage-point changes are used for rates. These trends show pressures, not their causal contribution.

An ageing population

+45.6%1996–2025England · people aged 65+, millions
07.51519962026
7.7m → 11.2m1996–2025

Annual population estimates, 1996–2025.

Evidence, sources and data: An ageing population

England had 11.2 million people aged 65 and over in mid-2025, against 9.0 million in mid-2012 — up 24%, while the whole population grew 10%. Older people use more hospital care, so demand rises faster than population.

Annual ONS mid-year estimates, 1996–2025. Revised to reflect the latest census. Population is one source of demand, not a measure of treatment need.

Source dataset

England · people aged 65+, millions
PeriodValue (m)
19967.718
19977.733
19987.754
19997.76
20007.783
20017.836
20027.881
20037.929
20047.976
20058.028
20068.054
20078.125
20088.25
20098.4
20108.564
20118.73
20129.047
20139.284
20149.504
20159.661
20169.817
20179.951
201810.083
201910.243
202010.332
202110.469
202210.642
202310.811
202411.018
202511.234

How health spending has changed

+195.2%1997–2025 · provisionalUK · government healthcare spending, £bn at 2025 prices
020040019962026
£95bn → £280.4bn (provisional)1997–2025

Broader than the NHS budget; 2025 provisional.

Evidence, sources and data: How health spending has changed

Government healthcare spending has risen over the long run, with slower growth through much of the 2010s and a sharp pandemic increase. The amount spent alone cannot tell us whether services meet demand.

ONS UK Health Accounts, Table 2a (HF.1.1), 1997–2025. Covers NHS, local authorities and other public bodies, including some social care; excludes capital outlay. Broader than the NHS budget. Inflation-adjusted using the GDP deflator; 2025 is provisional. Spending does not directly measure capacity or output.

Source dataset

UK · government healthcare spending, £bn at 2025 prices
PeriodValue (bn)
199795.011
1998100.506
1999106.994
2000112.076
2001119.51
2002130.185
2003140.161
2004151.782
2005159.175
2006167.8
2007172.925
2008179.837
2009190.099
2010192.181
2011193.355
2012196.421
2013197.886
2014203.632
2015206.96
2016211.314
2017212.573
2018216.969
2019224.839
2020258.8
2021278.026
2022261.434
2023259.131
2024269.054
2025 (provisional)280.444

Patients per GP over time

+11.5%Sep 2015–Aug 2026England · registered patients per fully qualified GP FTE
No observationsshown01,2502,50019962026
1,938 → 2,160Sep 2015–Aug 2026

Long-run badge compares September 2015 with Aug 2026. The series peaked at 2,305 in Jul 2023; latest 2,160, down from 2,176 in Jul 2026. Registered patients per fully qualified GP FTE; not appointment availability.

Evidence, sources and data: Patients per GP over time

Hospital and community staff have grown 25% since July 2019; whether treatment has kept pace is the productivity question. Each fully qualified GP served 2,160 patients in August 2026, against 1,938 in September 2015. Adult social care had about 111,000 vacancies (7.0%) in 2024/25, and an average of 13,647 hospital patients a day in September 2026 were well enough to leave but still in hospital.

September 2015 onwards. One FTE is 37.5 hours a week. A workload indicator, not appointment availability; excludes other practice clinicians. Early submission rates were lower and collection became more frequent over time.

Source dataset

England · registered patients per fully qualified GP FTE
PeriodValue
Sep 20151,938
Mar 20161,947
Sep 20161,963
Dec 20161,981
Mar 20171,986
Jun 20172,006
Sep 20172,014
Dec 20172,034
Mar 20182,047
Jun 20182,067
Sep 20182,083
Dec 20182,100
Mar 20192,095
Jun 20192,129
Sep 20192,129
Dec 20192,140
Mar 20202,156
Jun 20202,183
Sep 20202,161
Dec 20202,157
Mar 20212,155
Jun 20212,173
Jul 20212,197
Aug 20212,193
Sep 20212,190
Oct 20212,198
Nov 20212,201
Dec 20212,204
Jan 20222,216
Feb 20222,214
Mar 20222,219
Apr 20222,222
May 20222,233
Jun 20222,241
Jul 20222,247
Aug 20222,248
Sep 20222,248
Oct 20222,260
Nov 20222,270
Dec 20222,273
Jan 20232,283
Feb 20232,286
Mar 20232,285
Apr 20232,292
May 20232,297
Jun 20232,304
Jul 20232,305
Aug 20232,301
Sep 20232,300
Oct 20232,299
Nov 20232,293
Dec 20232,295
Jan 20242,294
Feb 20242,298
Mar 20242,295
Apr 20242,294
May 20242,292
Jun 20242,291
Jul 20242,293
Aug 20242,282
Sep 20242,273
Oct 20242,271
Nov 20242,264
Dec 20242,260
Jan 20252,258
Feb 20252,257
Mar 20252,255
Apr 20252,257
May 20252,258
Jun 20252,257
Jul 20252,257
Aug 20252,247
Sep 20252,241
Oct 20252,236
Nov 20252,228
Dec 20252,220
Jan 20262,214
Feb 20262,205
Mar 20262,203
Apr 20262,199
May 20262,192
Jun 20262,187
Jul 20262,176
Aug 20262,160

A growing repair backlog

+54.6%2021/22–2024/25England · £bn, cash prices
No observationsshown0102019962026
£10.3bn → £15.9bn2021/22–2024/25

Short series: changes in reporting limit older comparisons.

Evidence, sources and data: A growing repair backlog

The cost of overdue repairs has risen. This estimate covers work needed to restore the estate to an assessed condition, not routine planned maintenance. It is not a count of unusable beds or theatres.

2021/22–2024/25 only: older ERIC returns are not consistently comparable. Reporting improvements can affect the trend. Cash values include inflation. Earlier points use amended national totals, not the superseded headline figures.

Source dataset

Amended 2021/22 data

Amended 2022/23 data

England · £bn, cash prices
PeriodValue (bn)
2021/2210.29
2022/2311.698
2023/2413.753
2024/2515.906

Who is affected most

Who feels this most?

Need is not spread evenly. People in England’s most deprived tenth of areas can expect about 20 fewer years in good health than those in the least deprived (2022 to 2024, women; 19 years for men) — so the same waiting times weigh more heavily where health is already worse. These are gaps between area deciles, not predictions for any individual. More on health inequality.

What could change

Proposals to consider. The bodies named below would need to agree to deliver them; responsibility is not a recorded commitment. Follow the links for costs and evidence.

  • Cut treatment waits and improve patients’ health

    Judge efforts to cut waiting lists by how long patients wait and whether their health improves.

    Who could deliver it: NHS commissioners/providers; nation-specific systems.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Binding workforce capacity; displacement of urgent or other elective care.

    Map diagnostic, theatre, staffing and discharge constraints; select a specialty/locality; demonstrate addition beyond funded plans.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Fix NHS equipment and estate bottlenecks that cancel care

    Repair buildings and equipment that cause cancelled care, with enough staff to use them.

    Who could deliver it: NHS trusts and capital commissioners in England..

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Capital without operating staff; shifting maintenance from other critical sites.

    Prioritise safety-critical work separately; appraise operational fixes using downtime and completed-care data. Scheme costs and staff capacity must be established before approving expansion.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • A costed social-care capacity plan

    Set out the care services needed, who will provide them and how much they will cost.

    Who could deliver it: the health department, Treasury, councils and care providers; devolved systems separately.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    Major workforce constraint; service displacement; eligibility and quality trade-offs.

    Model unmet need; specify pay, recruitment, training and commissioning; support unpaid carers; agree recurring funding.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

  • Get effective depression treatment to adults missing out

    Help adults missing out on suitable depression treatment get care, with specialist support when needed.

    Who could deliver it: NHS commissioners and providers; jurisdiction-specific.

    Main trade-off and delivery needs

    The main risks still need to be assessed.

    Verify unmet clinical need and commissioned care; cost therapists, supervision, triage, follow-up and escalation; monitor symptoms, functioning, deterioration and access. Proposed owners: NHS commissioners and providers; jurisdiction-specific.

    Cost: The extra cost is not yet known.

    Costs, drawbacks and evidence →

See all options and what is still unknown →

Some problems have no assessed solution yet: see coverage and gaps.

Help and rights

These links can help with an individual situation. They do not resolve the wider pressures described above.

  • Understand your waiting-time options

    NHS guidance for England explains waiting-time rights, exceptions and how to ask about another provider. A national average is not a forecast for your treatment.

Domain SWOT

Recorded

Show the findings
Strengths · 2 findings

  • Ring-fenced surgical hubs have been evaluated: trusts that opened one did 21.9% more routine high-volume operations in the first year than a matched comparison.

    31 English acute trusts · 2018–2022

  • A funded supported-employment programme, Connect to Work, is running alongside health services, with funding committed to 2028–29.

    England and Wales · 2025–26 to 2028–29

Weaknesses · 7 findings

  • Mental-health access needs its own recovery test. CQC reports pressure on community and crisis services and a workforce that has not kept pace with demand. Hospital elective waiting-time improvements cannot establish that mental-health access or quality has improved.

    England · 2024/25 regulator assessment · risk

  • NHS trusts estimated £15.9bn to eradicate maintenance backlog in 2024/25. This is a risk-based estimate of work needed to restore the estate, excluding planned maintenance—not a funded programme, annual bill or estimate of the benefit from each repair.

    England · 2024/25

  • Community-service waits need their own recovery test. NHS England sets separate ambitions for these services; the hospital RTT measure cannot show whether people get timely rehabilitation, therapies or other community care. The guidance identifies persistent waits and calls for better demand, capacity and pathway management; it is not an evaluation of the proposed remedies.

    England · NHS England guidance, April 2026 · risk

  • 65.2% of waiting pathways were within 18 weeks, against the 92% standard, last met in September 2015 on the figures including estimates for missing trusts (February 2016 on reported figures).

    England · August 2026

  • 7.37 million treatment pathways were waiting — about 6.24 million people — against 2.44 million pathways in March 2012.

    England · August 2026

  • 24.7% of patients were waiting six weeks or more for a diagnostic test in August 2026, against a 2026/27 target of at most 14%. In the separately dated July 2026 specialty breakdown, trauma and orthopaedics had the largest treatment list (840,967 pathways), with 60.9% within 18 weeks.

    England · August 2026 diagnostics; July 2026 specialty breakdown

  • Dental access needs a separate recovery test: the NAO found the 2024 dental plan was not on course to deliver its additional treatment ambition and called for proper evaluation. Elective hospital waiting lists do not measure access to an NHS dentist; this is a dated audit, not a current count of unmet need.

    England · November 2024 audit · risk

Opportunities · 1 finding

  • Protecting planned surgery where cancellations are the constraint, and integrating employment support with care for people who want to work, address different parts of the same pressure.

    Depends on: Each is funded for staff, not just buildings or referrals, and judged on waits and sustained work rather than activity counts.

    our synthesis

Threats · 3 findings

  • The NAO found the reset hospital programme had a more stable long-term basis, but construction schedules remained challenging. Slippage could push work and budget pressure into later funding periods. A programme announcement is not evidence that replacement hospitals are operational.

    England · January 2026 audit · risk

  • Hubs can move work rather than add it: total elective surgery at trusts that opened hubs did not rise significantly, and staff may be drawn from emergency care.

    risk

  • Capital for elective recovery in 2026/27 is aimed at finishing schemes already started, leaving little for new hubs without a further decision.

    risk

See the whole-UK SWOT →

Domain action plan

Proposed

Possible steps for government and the bodies responsible. These describe the order of work, not promised dates: starting an action and seeing results take different amounts of time.

  1. Short term · prepare

    Identify where patients get stuck and which staff or facilities are missing.

  2. Medium term · deliver

    Expand treatment and support outside hospital where the evidence supports it.

  3. Long term · judge results

    Track waiting times and health outcomes, including who still misses out.

Delivery steps and owners (5)
  1. Prerequisite: Measure cancellations, theatre use and staffing at candidate sites · Trusts and integrated care boards · proposed
  2. Decision: Approve a costed business case with staff and running budget · Integrated care boards with NHS England (capital) · proposed
  3. Delivery: Open protected capacity; build IPS referral routes from clinical teams · Trusts; Connect to Work delivery areas · proposed
  4. Result: 92% of pathways within 18 weeks · NHS England · March 2029 (official milestone; restated 25 August 2026)
  5. Prerequisite: Publish the binding constraint by specialty and trust (diagnostics, theatres, staff, discharge) · NHS England · proposed

Sources, method and changes

Sources, data and notes
What you should know about these numbers

Data periods differ: the treatment waiting list covers August 2026; the A&E headline covers September 2026, while its longer historical chart uses annual results through 2025/26. The evidence-review date above is separate from data retrieval and automatic updates.

The waiting-list chart includes estimates for missing trusts. It counts pathways, not unique patients, and a falling count can reflect list validation as well as treatment. Reporting changes are explained beside the chart.

Report an error or read our corrections policy.

Trend chart data

Charts use up to 30 years where comparable observations are available. Shorter records are not backfilled. Population, spending and estate history checked 2026-10-07; NHS service trends use the existing registry.

People aged 65 and over

Annual ONS mid-year estimates, 1996–2025. Revised to reflect the latest census. Population is one source of demand, not a measure of treatment need.

Source dataset
England · people aged 65+, millions
PeriodValue (m)
19967.718
19977.733
19987.754
19997.76
20007.783
20017.836
20027.881
20037.929
20047.976
20058.028
20068.054
20078.125
20088.25
20098.4
20108.564
20118.73
20129.047
20139.284
20149.504
20159.661
20169.817
20179.951
201810.083
201910.243
202010.332
202110.469
202210.642
202310.811
202411.018
202511.234
Government healthcare spending

ONS UK Health Accounts, Table 2a (HF.1.1), 1997–2025. Covers NHS, local authorities and other public bodies, including some social care; excludes capital outlay. Broader than the NHS budget. Inflation-adjusted using the GDP deflator; 2025 is provisional. Spending does not directly measure capacity or output.

Source dataset
UK · government healthcare spending, £bn at 2025 prices
PeriodValue (bn)
199795.011
1998100.506
1999106.994
2000112.076
2001119.51
2002130.185
2003140.161
2004151.782
2005159.175
2006167.8
2007172.925
2008179.837
2009190.099
2010192.181
2011193.355
2012196.421
2013197.886
2014203.632
2015206.96
2016211.314
2017212.573
2018216.969
2019224.839
2020258.8
2021278.026
2022261.434
2023259.131
2024269.054
2025 (provisional)280.444
Estimated repair backlog

2021/22–2024/25 only: older ERIC returns are not consistently comparable. Reporting improvements can affect the trend. Cash values include inflation. Earlier points use amended national totals, not the superseded headline figures.

Source dataset
England · £bn, cash prices
PeriodValue (bn)
2021/2210.29
2022/2311.698
2023/2413.753
2024/2515.906
Patients per full-time-equivalent GP

September 2015 onwards. One FTE is 37.5 hours a week. A workload indicator, not appointment availability; excludes other practice clinicians. Early submission rates were lower and collection became more frequent over time.

Source dataset
England · registered patients per fully qualified GP FTE
PeriodValue
Sep 20151,938
Mar 20161,947
Sep 20161,963
Dec 20161,981
Mar 20171,986
Jun 20172,006
Sep 20172,014
Dec 20172,034
Mar 20182,047
Jun 20182,067
Sep 20182,083
Dec 20182,100
Mar 20192,095
Jun 20192,129
Sep 20192,129
Dec 20192,140
Mar 20202,156
Jun 20202,183
Sep 20202,161
Dec 20202,157
Mar 20212,155
Jun 20212,173
Jul 20212,197
Aug 20212,193
Sep 20212,190
Oct 20212,198
Nov 20212,201
Dec 20212,204
Jan 20222,216
Feb 20222,214
Mar 20222,219
Apr 20222,222
May 20222,233
Jun 20222,241
Jul 20222,247
Aug 20222,248
Sep 20222,248
Oct 20222,260
Nov 20222,270
Dec 20222,273
Jan 20232,283
Feb 20232,286
Mar 20232,285
Apr 20232,292
May 20232,297
Jun 20232,304
Jul 20232,305
Aug 20232,301
Sep 20232,300
Oct 20232,299
Nov 20232,293
Dec 20232,295
Jan 20242,294
Feb 20242,298
Mar 20242,295
Apr 20242,294
May 20242,292
Jun 20242,291
Jul 20242,293
Aug 20242,282
Sep 20242,273
Oct 20242,271
Nov 20242,264
Dec 20242,260
Jan 20252,258
Feb 20252,257
Mar 20252,255
Apr 20252,257
May 20252,258
Jun 20252,257
Jul 20252,257
Aug 20252,247
Sep 20252,241
Oct 20252,236
Nov 20252,228
Dec 20252,220
Jan 20262,214
Feb 20262,205
Mar 20262,203
Apr 20262,199
May 20262,192
Jun 20262,187
Jul 20262,176
Aug 20262,160
Waiting under 18 weeks

August 2007 onwards; early reporting was less complete. Higher is better; the NHS standard is 92%. This measures the share within 18 weeks, not the average wait.

Source dataset
England · % of waiting treatment pathways
PeriodValue (%)
Aug 200757.22
Sep 200759.14
Oct 200759.33
Nov 200757.88
Dec 200756.46
Jan 200861.28
Feb 200864.97
Mar 200866.01
Apr 200869.42
May 200873.25
Jun 200877.5
Jul 200881.16
Aug 200880.54
Sep 200882.12
Oct 200885.04
Nov 200885.62
Dec 200885.2
Jan 200985.12
Feb 200986.77
Mar 200987.18
Apr 200989.22
May 200989.34
Jun 200990.06
Jul 200989.92
Aug 200989.77
Sep 200989.82
Oct 200989.93
Nov 200990.13
Dec 200989.97
Jan 201089.65
Feb 201090.26
Mar 201091.12
Apr 201091.32
May 201091.86
Jun 201091.42
Jul 201090.85
Aug 201090.09
Sep 201090.37
Oct 201090.25
Nov 201090.03
Dec 201088.62
Jan 201188.4
Feb 201188.7
Mar 201189.49
Apr 201190.27
May 201190.94
Jun 201191.15
Jul 201190.53
Aug 201190.61
Sep 201190.62
Oct 201190.88
Nov 201191.27
Dec 201191.33
Jan 201292.13
Feb 201292.54
Mar 201293.22
Apr 201293.96
May 201294.33
Jun 201294.14
Jul 201294.04
Aug 201293.97
Sep 201293.82
Oct 201294.2
Nov 201294.21
Dec 201293.91
Jan 201393.75
Feb 201393.75
Mar 201394.24
Apr 201394.47
May 201394.82
Jun 201394.64
Jul 201394.45
Aug 201394.23
Sep 201394.14
Oct 201394.06
Nov 201393.87
Dec 201393.48
Jan 201493.36
Feb 201493.31
Mar 201493.56
Apr 201493.57
May 201493.56
Jun 201493.58
Jul 201493.2
Aug 201493.03
Sep 201493.12
Oct 201492.89
Nov 201492.99
Dec 201492.58
Jan 201592.32
Feb 201592.79
Mar 201592.86
Apr 201593.03
May 201593.24
Jun 201592.97
Jul 201592.64
Aug 201592.39
Sep 201592.31
Oct 201591.91
Nov 201591.97
Dec 201591.4
Jan 201691.55
Feb 201691.67
Mar 201691.06
Apr 201691.19
May 201691.41
Jun 201691.13
Jul 201690.87
Aug 201690.52
Sep 201690.24
Oct 201690.27
Nov 201690.34
Dec 201689.55
Jan 201789.8
Feb 201789.84
Mar 201790.14
Apr 201789.76
May 201790.25
Jun 201790.1
Jul 201789.71
Aug 201789.28
Sep 201788.95
Oct 201789.14
Nov 201789.17
Dec 201788.09
Jan 201887.89
Feb 201887.65
Mar 201887.02
Apr 201887.37
May 201887.95
Jun 201887.66
Jul 201887.64
Aug 201887.12
Sep 201886.57
Oct 201886.97
Nov 201887.16
Dec 201886.46
Jan 201986.56
Feb 201986.59
Mar 201986.32
Apr 201986.15
May 201986.49
Jun 201985.97
Jul 201985.47
Aug 201984.67
Sep 201984.48
Oct 201984.36
Nov 201984.07
Dec 201983.39
Jan 202083.2
Feb 202082.9
Mar 202079.55
Apr 202071.44
May 202062.62
Jun 202052.65
Jul 202047.3
Aug 202053.88
Sep 202060.78
Oct 202065.56
Nov 202068.25
Dec 202067.94
Jan 202166.27
Feb 202164.63
Mar 202164.38
Apr 202164.64
May 202167.41
Jun 202168.75
Jul 202168.27
Aug 202167.58
Sep 202166.45
Oct 202165.63
Nov 202165.54
Dec 202163.85
Jan 202262.45
Feb 202262.18
Mar 202262.15
Apr 202261.69
May 202263.57
Jun 202262.3
Jul 202261.09
Aug 202260.79
Sep 202259.44
Oct 202259.69
Nov 202259.61
Dec 202257.62
Jan 202358.33
Feb 202358.51
Mar 202358.64
Apr 202358.31
May 202359.49
Jun 202359.19
Jul 202358.61
Aug 202358.03
Sep 202357.6
Oct 202358.17
Nov 202358.25
Dec 202356.58
Jan 202457.04
Mar 202457.21
Apr 202458.24
May 202459.09
Jun 202458.88
Jul 202458.82
Aug 202458.26
Sep 202458.51
Oct 202458.93
Nov 202459.15
Dec 202458.94
Jan 202558.86
Feb 202559.18
Mar 202559.78
Apr 202559.73
May 202560.93
Jun 202561.53
Jul 202561.28
Aug 202561.03
Sep 202561.8
Oct 202561.76
Nov 202561.77
Dec 202561.51
Jan 202661.49
Feb 202662.59
Mar 202665.3
Apr 202664.97
May 202665.57
Jun 202665.83
Jul 202665.4
Aug 202665.21
Hospital bed occupancy

Quarterly series from 2010. High occupancy leaves less room for new admissions. The pandemic changed hospital use sharply. This shows bed pressure, not how much of it is caused by delayed discharge.

Source dataset
England · general and acute overnight beds, % occupied
PeriodValue (%)
Jun 201086.3
Sep 201085.6
Dec 201087.7
Mar 201188.7
Jun 201186.4
Sep 201185.3
Dec 201186.9
Mar 201289
Jun 201287.9
Sep 201286.7
Dec 201287.9
Mar 201389.8
Jun 201388.5
Sep 201386.5
Dec 201387.6
Mar 201489.6
Jun 201488.1
Sep 201487.7
Dec 201489.4
Mar 201590.7
Jun 201588.4
Sep 201587.1
Dec 201589.1
Mar 201691.2
Jun 201690.2
Sep 201689.2
Dec 201690.5
Mar 201791.4
Jun 201789.1
Sep 201789
Dec 201790.7
Mar 201892.6
Jun 201889.8
Sep 201888.9
Dec 201890.2
Mar 201991.7
Jun 201990.3
Sep 201990
Dec 201992
Mar 202088.4
Jun 202063.1
Sep 202077.4
Dec 202083.1
Mar 202183
Jun 202185.3
Sep 202187.6
Dec 202188.6
Mar 202289.3
Jun 202289.8
Sep 202290.1
Dec 202292
Mar 202392.3
Jun 202390.6
Sep 202389.7
Dec 202391.6
Mar 202492.5
Jun 202491.2
Sep 202490.4
Dec 202490.3
Mar 202592.5
Jun 202591.5
Sep 202590.9
Dec 202591.5
Mar 202692.5
Jun 202690.9
Patients ready to leave, still in hospital

April 2021 onwards. Patients no longer meeting criteria to reside in an acute hospital. Reasons for remaining differ; this is not solely a measure of social-care delays.

Source dataset
England · patients ready to leave acute care, daily average
PeriodValue
Apr 20218,039
May 20218,007
Jun 20218,545
Jul 20218,865
Aug 20219,079
Sep 20219,583
Oct 20219,697
Nov 202110,343
Dec 202110,295
Jan 202212,201
Feb 202212,025
Mar 202212,119
Apr 202212,590
May 202212,219
Jun 202212,076
Jul 202213,049
Aug 202213,416
Sep 202213,347
Oct 202213,630
Nov 202213,565
Dec 202213,439
Jan 202313,965
Feb 202313,791
Mar 202313,608
Apr 202312,862
May 202312,640
Jun 202312,334
Jul 202311,877
Aug 202311,913
Sep 202312,372
Oct 202312,493
Nov 202312,804
Dec 202312,610
Jan 202413,709
Feb 202413,690
Mar 202413,068
Apr 202412,772
May 202412,400
Jun 202412,179
Jul 202412,326
Aug 202412,097
Sep 202412,517
Oct 202412,340
Nov 202412,430
Dec 202411,991
Jan 202513,688
Feb 202513,717
Mar 202513,581
Apr 202512,740
May 202512,672
Jun 202512,071
Jul 202512,552
Aug 202512,535
Sep 202512,815
Oct 202513,117
Nov 202513,179
Dec 202512,838
Jan 202613,823
Feb 202613,888
Mar 202613,554
Apr 202613,612
May 202613,291
Jun 202613,618
Jul 202614,054
Aug 202613,833
Sep 202613,647
Sources and methods (4)

Method notes

  • England only: health is devolved, and Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland measure waiting times differently.
  • A pathway is one referral for one treatment; one person can be on several. NHS England estimates people from a 2026 data set linking pathways to NHS numbers (85 people per 100 pathways).
  • A&E figures are for all types of department unless stated; type 1 (major emergency departments) performance is lower.