NHS England Hits 18-Week Waiting Time Target for First Time Since 2020

NHS England announced in the week of 19 May 2026 that the NHS had met its constitutional 18-week waiting time standard — requiring 92% of patients to begin treatment within 18 weeks of referral — for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted services in 2020. The waiting list fell to 7.11 million (down from 7.25 million in January 2026 and from a peak of 7.62 million in June 2024), marking the largest monthly reduction in 17 years. Approximately 450,000 fewer patients were waiting over 18 weeks compared to the previous month; A&E waiting times also fell to a five-year low. The improvement was attributed to £25 billion in additional NHS investment from the Starmer government's October 2024 Budget, the Elective Recovery Plan, and expanded weekend elective surgery capacity. Health Secretary Rachel Reeves — who replaced the resigned Wes Streeting — welcomed the milestone.