What is the NHS budget?
The NHS budget is the money the government spends on health care. In England, the health department's total budget is about £225 billion in 2026/27. That includes £211 billion of day-to-day spending. Health is the largest area of departmental spending. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland fund their own NHS.
The health department's total budget rises from £217.0 billion in 2025/26 to £225.4 billion in 2026/27. These figures were set at the June 2025 spending review. Day-to-day spending rises from £203.4 billion to £211.4 billion. Most of the money goes to NHS England, which funds local health services. The rest pays for public health, training, research and capital projects such as hospital buildings and equipment. Funding for adult social care comes mainly from councils, not the NHS budget.
Staff pay is the biggest cost, followed by medicines, buildings and equipment. Day-to-day spending is planned to grow by about 2.8% a year in real terms to 2028/29. That is a little below the NHS's long-term average growth of around 3.6% a year since it was founded. Real-terms growth adjusts for inflation.
Health spending has grown as a share of public spending for decades, driven by an ageing population, new treatments and rising demand. Waiting lists, staff shortages and pressures on social care remain major challenges. The devolved governments receive funding through the Barnett formula and decide their own health budgets. It is by far the largest departmental budget in Whitehall.
- Sets NHS England's budget and targets
- Plans for pandemics and public health emergencies
- Sets policy on social care for older and disabled people
- Oversees medicines and vaccine approval
- Leads on waiting lists, GP access and A&E
Budget: About £200bn a year. Staff: About 3,000 in the department itself; the NHS in England employs about 1.5 million
What it runs or funds
NHS England, UK Health Security Agency, Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, Care Quality Commission, NICE
Did you know? The NHS in England deals with over a million patients every 24 hours.
The left tends to argue the NHS needs more funding, especially for staff pay and social care, paid for by higher taxes on wealth.
The right tends to argue that money alone will not fix the NHS, and that reform and productivity matter more.
Britain is split. Now you decide.
Set the health budget in WeDecide and see whether waiting lists fall or the rest of your budget pays the price.
Play WeDecide freeCommon questions
How much does the UK spend on the NHS?
In England the health department's total budget is about £225 billion in 2026/27. The devolved nations fund their own services on top.
Where does NHS money come from?
Mostly from general taxation and National Insurance, with a small amount from charges such as prescriptions in England.
Is NHS spending going up?
Yes. It is planned to rise by about 2.8% a year in real terms to 2028/29.
What is the Department of Health and Social Care in charge of?
The NHS in England and adult social care policy. DHSC is in charge of the NHS in England and adult social care policy.
Roughly what is DHSC's budget?
About £200bn a year. DHSC spends about £200bn a year.