The National Cost Collection publication comprises aggregated costs (the average unit cost of providing defined services to NHS patients in England) and patient-level costs/PLICS (a cost based on the specific interactions a patient has, and the events related to their healthcare activity).

NHS providers submit costs annually. These costs are used to inform a number of work streams including the PLICS dashboards, the Model Health System, the Getting It Right First Time (GIRFT) programme and NHS Payment Scheme prices. They are a key source of information about the cost of NHS services.

2022/23 National Cost Collection data

The National Cost Collection data itself is published in the following ways:

• the national schedule of NHS costs
• the National Cost Collection Index
• organisation level cost MFF adjusted
• organisation level cost unadjusted
• organisation level files: excluded cost and look up tables.

Data spreadsheets

• National schedule of NHS costs – The main schedule, showing data for the whole range of services provided by provider, including admitted patient care on a finished consultant episode (FCE) basis. Presented in Power BI format.
• The National Cost Collection Index (NCCI) – The National Cost Collection Index (NCCI) is a measure of the relative cost difference between NHS providers. Presented in Power BI format.

2022/23 National Cost Collection data files

• Organisation level source data part 1 – Unadjusted data as submitted by NHS providers in England.
• Organisation level source data part 2 – Market forces factor (MFF) adjusted data.
• Organisation level source data part 3 – Remaining organisational source level data and reference tables.

We no longer publish a reconciliation report as the NCC data publication no longer excludes providers with draft accounts or with a cost difference higher than the threshold (1%) between their NCC submission and audited accounts. It is available to providers on request to costing@england.nhs.uk

Archived cost collections

• 2021/22 National Cost Collection Data Publication
• 2020/21 National Cost Collection Data Publication
• 2019/20 National Cost Collection Data Publication
• 2018/19 National Cost Collection Data Publication

You can also access reference costs for the financial years 2017/18 and 2016/17 on the page Archived Reference Costs, along with a link to earlier cost collections on the Department of Health website.

Help and support

If you have any queries on this project or costing in general please email costing@england.nhs.uk