Allocations
NHS England is responsible for determining allocations of financial resources to Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) from April 2022. Total annual budgets given to ICBs cover the majority of NHS spending. The allocations process uses a statistical formula to make geographic distribution fair and objective, so that it more clearly reflects local healthcare need and helps to reduce health inequalities.
This page contains the allocations and associated documents for the 2022/23 allocations round. Information on previous allocations can be found below:
- Allocations for 2019/20 to 2023/24
- Allocations for 2016/17 to 2020/21
- Revised Allocations for 2018/19
- Non-Recurrent Adjustments for 2017/18 and 2018/19
- Revised Allocations for 2015/16
- Allocations for 2014/15 and 2015/16
- Allocations for 2013/14
Allocation of resources 2022/23
- ICB allocations 2022/23 (core services)
- ICB allocations 2022/23 (primary care medical)
- ICB Running cost allowance 2022/23
- ICB allocations 2022/23 (all funding streams, spreadsheet)
- NHS Operational Planning and Contracting Guidance 2022/23
- Change to ICB core services target allocation (waterfalls) 2022/23
Technical guide to ICB allocations 2022/23 to 2024/25
Supporting spreadsheets for allocations 2022/23
- A – Registrations by GP practice and ICB – Oct 21
- B – Population Projections by GP practice and ICB 2022/23
- C1 – General and Acute Need 2022/23
- C2 – Community Services Need 2022/23
- D – Mental Health Need 2022/23
- E – Maternity Need 2022/23
- F – Prescribing Need 2022/23
- G – Avoidable mortality weighted populations 2022/23
- H – Market Forces Factor (MFF) 2022/23
- I – Emergency Ambulance Cost Adjustment (EACA) 2022/23
- J – Overall weighted populations by ICB and GP practice 2022/23
- K – Primary care 2022/23
- N – Primary medical care convergence 2022/23
- O – ICB core services convergence 2022/23
- S – Running cost allowance 2022/23
- X – ICB boundary changes 2022/23
In addition to the above spreadsheets, we have developed a place-based tool which allows the user to aggregate GP practices into defined areas i.e. “places” of interest and calculates the weighted populations and relative need indices for these defined areas. The tool is designed to provide insight into the lower area level data that informs the overall allocations to ICBs by providing information on the variation in need between different areas within ICBs.
Please refer to the following document on how to use the tool:
Engagement
During January 2022, we engaged stakeholders in two webinars (one general, one technical) on the proposed methodology by which target funding allocations will in future be set for specialised services for integrated care system populations (webinar recordings and materials are available on request). The following document sets out the methodology and invites comment: Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA): Prescribed specialised services needs-based allocations methodology.
Feedback can be made by 30 June 2022 by email to england.revenue-allocations@nhs.net
Background materials
Cost recovery for overseas visitors
- Who pays? Determining responsibility for payments to providers (August 2020)
- Improving Systems for Cost Recovery for Overseas Visitors – Updated guidance (Jan 2018)
Research reports on the allocations formulae
2022/23:
- Report on Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) review of the health inequalities and unmet need adjustment
- Report on changes to the allocation model for General & Acute services for 2022/23 allocations
2019/20:
- Developing a community services model for allocations
- Updating the mental health model for allocations
2016/17:
- Refreshing the Formulae for CCG Allocations for allocations to Clinical Commissioning Groups from 2016/17 – Report on the methods and modelling – NHS England Analytical Services (Finance)
- Primary medical care – new workload formula for allocations to CCG areas
- Specialised services formula
ACRA recommendation letters and papers
The Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation (ACRA) provides recommendations and advice on the target, relative geographical distribution of funding for health services in England, given the objectives of the funding formula. It is supported by a Technical Advisory Group (TAG). ACRA membership is set out in the terms of reference.
ACRA papers
This section contains papers from ACRA discussions. Some aspects of these papers have been redacted in line with FOI principles.
- ACRA(2015)18B – Estimating unavoidable cost due to remoteness
- ACRA(2015)36 – Costs of unavoidable smallness due to remoteness
- ACRA(2015)35 – Health inequalities adjustment (based on Ben Barr paper)
- ACRA(2015)28R – Refreshing the CCG formula
- ACRA(2015)24B – Unavoidable smallness due to remoteness: Identifying remote hospitals
- ACRA(2015)18A – Unavoidable smallness due to remoteness: Identifying remote hospitals
Further reading
- Unmet need in healthcare funding allocations (Academy of Medical Sciences Roundtable Jul 2017)
- Unmet need literature review (University of York) research paper (Jan 2017)
- Public health formula for local authorities from April 2016 (Consultation Oct 2015)
- Fundamental Review of Allocations Policy (NHS England Aug 2013)
- Person-based Resource Allocation (PBRA) (Nuffield Trust Dec 2011)
- Weighted Capitation Formula 7th Edition (Department of Health Mar 2011)
Need more help?
For queries on ICB Allocations or suggestions for ACRA’s work programme please email: england.revenue-allocations@nhs.net