Reform UK manifesto 2024: 11 key policies analysed

The party sets out an extra £17bn a year for the NHS. That’s significantly higher spending than any of the three main parties. By 2028/29, the Conservative Party is pledging around £1bn extra in cash terms for the NHS, Labour around £2bn extra, and the Lib Dems £5.8bn extra.

Reform UK says its policies would eradicate NHS waiting lists in two years. This is big talk. Waiting lists for treatments are huge. The party also says the NHS must use the private sector more to help take the pressure off its services and pledges 20% tax relief for private healthcare providers and insurance. Independent health think-tank the Nuffield Trust say this could take money out of the public purse to give to profitable business, encourage NHS staff to move to the private sector and leave the NHS worse off.

Reform UK has also called for a new NHS funding model. It wants the next government to look to countries like France, which has insurance-based health models. Health outcomes in the UK have fallen behind a number of European neighbours, but they are spending more money on health. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) for the period between 2019 and 2022, health spending a year per capita was $8,011 (£6,309) for Germany, $7,771 (£6,120) for Norway, $6,630 (£5,229) for France and $5,493 (£4,326) for the UK.

These policies are England-only as other nations set their own health policies.