£485 million funding uplift confirmed for the 2026/27 GP Contract

NHS England has confirmed a £485 million funding uplift for the 2026/27 GP Contract, increasing total contract investment to £13.863 billion, including Advice and Guidance funding.

The funding package forms part of wider changes aimed at improving access to general practice, supporting GP recruitment and giving practices greater flexibility to meet patient demand.

What’s changed?

The 2026/27 contract includes:

• a £485 million (3.6%) cash uplift to the GP Contract
• an assumed 2.5% pay uplift, subject to the outcome of the Doctors’ and Dentists’ Review Body recommendations
• £292 million redirected from the Capacity and Access Payment into a new practice-level GP reimbursement scheme
• funding to support changes to the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF)
• additional funding to help meet cost pressures, including premises inflation.

What does this mean for GP practices?

The changes are designed to increase GP capacity while giving practices greater flexibility in how funding is used to improve access.

Practices should review:

• workforce and recruitment plans
• financial budgets for 2026/27
• changes to QOF requirements
• new reimbursement arrangements
• patient access processes.

NHS England has said further specifications and operational guidance will continue to be published as the contract changes are implemented.

Why this matters

General practice continues to face increasing demand alongside workforce and financial pressures.

While the funding uplift provides additional investment, practices will need to consider how best to use the new arrangements to improve capacity, recruit staff and meet contractual requirements throughout 2026/27.

Further reading

For more information, visit:

• NHS England – Changes to the GP Contract in 2026/27
• NHS England – 2026/27 GP Contract guidance
• NHS Alliance – GP Contract 2026/27: What you need to know

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