Health Board funding, NHS Resource Allocation Committee comparison, and additional allocations: FOI release

Information requested

“I would be grateful if you could provide the following information for the most recent 12‑month period for which data is available:

1. Total funding allocated to each NHS Health Board in Scotland, broken down by board.
2. The NRAC (NHS Resource Allocation Committee) target allocation for each board over the same period, and a comparison showing how actual funding differs from the NRAC formula recommendation.
3. Details of any additional funding to support specific improvements in Urgent and Unscheduled Care, Planned Care and Cancer Improvement
4. Details of any additional funding provided to Health Boards above core budget allocations, including but not limited to:

• brokerage
• in‑year support
• any other supplementary allocations intended to support boards in reaching a break‑even or improved financial position.

If possible, please provide the information in a spreadsheet or similarly accessible format.”

Response

Your request asked for information covering “the most recent 12‑month period for which data is available.” I have interpreted this as financial year 2024/25 and provided information accordingly where possible.

As the 2025/26 financial year remains in progress, final figures will not be available until after year‑end processes and the completion of final accounts are concluded. Once those figures are finalised, you would be able to request the 2025/26 information through a future FOI.

To answer your query, I have addressed each of your individual requests as Point 1 through to Point 4.

Point 1

I enclose a copy of all of the information you requested in the tab named ‘Point 1’ in the attached Excel document.

Information regarding the funding provided to NHS Boards in 2024-25 is available within each Board’s published Annual Reports and Accounts for the respective year, as well as in publicly accessible Board papers. However, for ease of review, I have provided this in the format requested.

A Board’s Core Revenue Resource Limit comprises of baseline funding along with any additional in-year allocations issued by the Scottish Government. Baseline funding is the recurring core allocation provided to NHS Boards to deliver essential healthcare services. Additional allocations are provided in-year based on delivering additional services.

Point 2

I enclose a copy of all of the information you requested in the tab named ‘Point 2’ in the attached Excel document.

The NRAC formula applies to NHS Board’s baseline allocations, which is included as part of the figure in Point 1. As detailed in the response to Point 1, the full amount of funding a Board receives includes baseline and additional in year allocations. The approach taken by the Scottish Government has been to gradually progress Boards towards parity over a number of years, with all Boards now being within 0.6%.

Point 3

I enclose a copy of all of the information you requested in the tab named ‘Point 3’ in the attached Excel document.

Point 4

I enclose a copy of all the information you requested in the tab named 'Point 4' in the attached Excel document.

I have disclosed figures for Brokerage and other support provided to NHS Boards in 2024/25. Although publicly available in Board's published Annual Reports and Accounts, I have provided this information in Excel format.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.

FOI 202600510459 - Information Released - Annex

File type

Excel document

File size

22.5 kB