Guidance

Finance available to NHS trusts and foundation trusts

How DHSC can provide loans, public dividend capital or guarantees of payment to foundation trusts and NHS trusts.

Documents

Details

Under Section 40 of the NHS Act 2006, the Secretary of State may give financial assistance to any NHS foundation trust.

The Secretary of State has similar powers to provide financial assistance to NHS trusts under schedule 5 of the NHS Act 2006.

This document provides information on how the Secretary of State may exercise their powers to provide financial assistance to trusts.

It covers:

  • the type of finance that may be provided
  • how to request financial assistance
  • criteria for deciding whether and how to provide financial assistance
  • the terms and conditions that may be applicable to finance that may be provided

This document contains technical guidance and is aimed at the finance teams of NHS trusts and NHS Foundation trusts.

Published 21 October 2014
Last updated 20 January 2023 + show all updates
  1. Routine update of DHSC policy on the financial support available to NHS providers.

  2. Updated to provide technical detail on the cash regime changes announced jointly by the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England and Improvement on 2 April 2020.

  3. First published.