Updated June 2026
NHS Dental Charges History 2020-2026
NHS dental charge history from 2020/21 to 2026/27, including annual changes, the 2022/23 freeze, and how each year's rise compares to inflation.
Complete charge history 2020-2026
| Year | Band 1 | Band 2 | Band 3 | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/271 April 2026 | £27.90+1.8% | £76.60+1.7% | £332.10+1.7% | Current rates |
| 2025/261 April 2025 | £27.40+2.2% | £75.30+2.4% | £326.70+2.4% | |
| 2024/251 April 2024 | £26.80+3.9% | £73.50+4.0% | £319.10+4.0% | |
| 2023/2424 April 2023 | £25.80+8.4% | £70.70+8.4% | £306.80+8.5% | Catch-up rise after two frozen years (SI 2023/367) |
| 2022/23No uprating | £23.80Frozen | £65.20Frozen | £282.80Frozen | Held at December 2020 levels |
| 2021/22No uprating | £23.80Frozen | £65.20Frozen | £282.80Frozen | No April 2021 uprating |
| 2020/2114 December 2020 | £23.80+4.8% | £65.20+5.0% | £282.80+5.0% | COVID-delayed rise (SI 2020/1335); 2019/20 rates of £22.70 / £62.10 / £269.30 applied until 13 December |
Sources: NHS Business Services Authority; amending statutory instruments on legislation.gov.uk, including SI 2020/1335 (December 2020 rise), SI 2023/367 (April 2023 catch-up), SI 2024/271, SI 2025/310 and SI 2026/265 (current rates).
The April 2026 increase in context
BAND 1 RISE (2026)
+1.8%
£27.40 to £27.90
BAND 2 RISE (2026)
+1.7%
£75.30 to £76.60
BAND 3 RISE (2026)
+1.7%
£326.70 to £332.10
The April 2026 rises of 1.7-1.8% are below UK CPI inflation for the period (approximately 2.6% in early 2026), meaning dental charges have effectively fallen in real terms for 2026/27.
From the December 2020 uprating to 2026/27, Band 1 has risen 17.2% cumulative (£23.80 to £27.90). UK CPI rose considerably more over the same window, so NHS dental charges have fallen in real terms since 2020, having been frozen in 2021/22 and 2022/23 and only partly caught up with the large April 2023 rise. See the real-terms analysis for the full deflated series.
How NHS dental charges are set
NHS dental charges in England are set by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) as secondary legislation. The process:
- The DHSC proposes new charge levels each year, usually in February or March
- A statutory instrument is laid before Parliament under the National Health Service (Dental Charges) Regulations 2005
- New charges take effect on 1 April each year
- Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland set their own charges separately as devolved matters
The statutory instruments are published on legislation.gov.uk. Search for "NHS (Dental Charges)" to find the most recent and historical instruments.