HM Treasury and Department of Health and Social Care's pledge

Ahead of her Budget on Wednesday, the Chancellor has confirmed that the NHS will receive the funding needed to deliver an extra 40,000 elective appointments per week, delivering on one of the Government’s First Steps in office to reduce waiting times in the NHS.

Made under the 2024 to 2026 Starmer Labour government, as GOV.UK labels it.

Made 2024-10-28 · Where it was made · archived copy · Government publication

What the official figures show

Extra elective care appointments compared with the same period a year earlier, as reported by the Prime Minister's Office, July to November 2024 (latest)

2.2million

2026-10-23 · Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street (citing NHS England data) · receipt

Patients waiting to start NHS elective treatment in England (pathways), end of August 2026 (latest)

7.4million

2026-10-23 · NHS England, Referral to Treatment waiting times · receipt

Share of patients on the NHS elective waiting list in England waiting up to 18 weeks, August 2026 (latest)

65.2%

2026-10-23 · NHS England, Referral to Treatment waiting times · receipt

These figures are repeated from their sources and update automatically. We don't say whether the pledge has been kept.