Javid confirms NHS funding in Spending Review

The Chancellor has delivered his Spending Round to Parliament, including funding for the health service.

The Spending Round sets out departmental spending plans for 2020-2021 to deliver on the public’s priorities, including health, education, and security. Departmental day-to-day spending is paid for through resource budgets which covers things like schools and hospitals’ running costs, and public sector pay.

This includes Sajid Javid reaffirming the government’s commitment to the NHS giving it a cash increase of £33.9 billion a year by 2023-24 compared to 2018-19 budgets. A new £1,000 personal development budget will also be provided over three years for every nurse, midwife and allied health professional. 

Although no new announcements were made with regards to the NHS, the chancellor said he will increase NHS spending by £6.2bn next year, including a £210 million investment for frontline NHS staff, investing more in training and professional development for doctors and nurses, and more than £2 billion of new capital funding – starting with an upgrade to 20 hospitals this year, and £250 million for new artificial intelligence technologies.

Elsewhere, councils will have access to a further £1.5 billion for social care – £1 billion through a new grant and £500 million through the adult social care precept. This will support local authorities to meet rising demand and continue to stabilise the social care system.