New statistics have been released setting out the money needed to repair NHS buildings and facilities.

The the provisional summary results from the 2023/24 Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) reveal a £13.8 billion maintenance backlog, which is up 29 per cent and is now bigger than the cost of running the NHS estate.

The cost of running the NHS estate has grown 11 per cent and is now at £13.6 billion.

At the same time, the cost of high-risk repairs waiting to be completed is now at £2.74 billion, an increase on 16 per cent.

The figures reveal that the total energy usage from all energy sources across the NHS estate was 11.1 billion kWh and £1.5 billion was spent on cleaning services.

The figures include information relating to the costs of providing and maintaining the NHS Estate including buildings, maintaining and equipping hospitals, the provision of services e.g. laundry and food, and the costs and consumption of utilities.

Saffron Cordery, deputy chief executive, NHS Providers, said: “Vital bits of the NHS are literally falling apart after years of underinvestment nationally. The safety of patients and staff is at risk.

“The list of essential repairs across the NHS waiting to be done keeps getting longer and the costs are rocketing.

“This can’t go on. Eye-watering sums are needed just to patch up buildings and equipment which are in a very bad way right across hospitals, mental health, community health and ambulance services.

"With the government’s Budget less than a fortnight away it's vital ministers provide an urgent capital funding boost and rethink rules on capital investment in the NHS so that trusts can tackle the near-£14billion maintenance backlog, give patients safe surroundings and boost productivity."