NHS Digital has published information relating to the costs of providing, maintaining and servicing the NHS estate.

The Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) includes national and local level information from all NHS Trusts in England that delivered secondary care and ambulance services between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020.

Complete data was received from all 224 NHS trusts, including 10 ambulance trusts.

The report includes information at trust and site level, including those trusts operating under a Private Finance Initiative (PFI) arrangement.

ERIC reports at a national level in key areas such as:

• Financial information
• Safety
• Buildings – quality, function, area and utilisation of space
• Utilities – energy and water
• Waste
• Car parking
• Inpatient food, laundry and linen, cleaning and portering services

Comparisons with previous years are also available for certain areas.

The scope and content of the ERIC collection are reviewed annually to ensure that the information gathered is necessary for, and relevant to, monitoring efficiencies and the funding of the NHS estate.

While the 2019-20 publication is based on data relating to the financial year 1 April to 31 March as normal, the publication date was moved to January 2021 from its usual release in October. This change allowed trusts to have an extended window to check and submit their data as normal operations were disrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the publication is planned to return to its usual timing next year and is currently expected to be released around October 2021.

Read the full report:  The Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC)

Notes for editors

1. The collection does not include costs relating to the delivery of primary medical, dental or community care, unless those services are provided by staff based in premises owned or operated by secondary care providers. In this case, an element of those costs will be included, but not separately identified.

   NHS Digital is the national information and technology partner of the health and care system.  Our team of information analysis, technology and project management experts create, deliver and manage the crucial digital systems, services, products and standards upon which health and care professionals depend. During the 2019-20 financial year, NHS Digital published 285 statistical reports. Our vision is to harness the power of information and technology to make health and care better.