The number of people awaiting NHS treatment in England has risen to hit 7.41 million.
The data reveals that the number of referral to treatment (RTT) pathways where a patient was waiting to start treatment at the end of August was 7,414,794. This was up from around 7.4 million in the previous month.
These figures have proved particularly stubborn and gradually increased over the summer after dropping to 7.36 million in May – the lowest level since March 2023.
As some patients are on multiple pathways, the number of unique patients is estimated to be around 6.3 million.
Among the 7.4 million, 191,493 patients had been waiting more than a year, 1,416 were waiting more than 18 months, and 168 people had been waiting more than two years.
In 61% of cases the patient had been waiting up to 18 weeks, thus not meeting the 92% standard.
Over August 2025, 1,625,326 new RTT pathways were started and 290,390 pathways were completed as a result of admitted treatment and 1,105,811 were completed where a patient was not admitted.
For those pathways where the patient was waiting to start treatment at the end of August 2025, the median waiting time was 13.4 weeks. The 92nd percentile waiting time was 42.2 weeks.
Fragile green shoots
Danielle Jefferies, senior analyst at The King’s Fund, said: “The green shoots of NHS recovery remain fragile. While there have been slight improvements in patient experience surveys, these monthly figures demonstrate how shaky wider efforts to tackle waiting lists are.
“The latest figures show another small decline in the proportion of people seen for planned treatment within the 18-week target and a rise in the overall waiting list.”
Jefferies added patients were still confronted with lengthy waiting times, slower than anticipated ambulance response times, and crowded hospitals.
“Regularly missed targets for various indicators across NHS services are now a predictable occurrence each month, and it’s clear that there is a long road ahead to get the NHS back on its feet,” she continued.
“Over recent weeks, the government has fleshed out its ideas for increasing patient access to care and creating greater transparency on performance. Hospital league tables, the new NHS online initiative and funding to boost the pay of social care staff are all designed to improve health and care services.”
Keeping NHS afloat in winter
And ahead of November’s Budget, Jefferies maintained the conundrum facing this government is the same that troubled previous administrations.
“How do they keep down costs while resolving industrial action and keeping afloat during winter, all while improving performance in the long term,” she added.
“The government has set a clear priority to improve the 18 weeks target for routine care, but it remains unclear what the recovery plan looks like for many other services that patients rely on.”
Dr Francesca Cavallaro, senior analytical manager at the Health Foundation, said: “Urgent and emergency care remains under intense pressure.
“In September more than 44,000 patients waited over 12 hours in emergency departments for a bed. These strains are likely to get worse heading into winter.
“Despite the government’s ambition to reduce hospital backlogs, the latest statistics for August show a slight increase in the elective waiting list to 7.41 million.”
Citing Health Foundation’s own analysis, Cavallaro added that on current trends, the government will fall just short of its headline pledge to restore the 18-week elective care standard by the end of this parliament.
“These statistics reinforce the scale of the challenge in achieving this ambitious target,” Cavallaro continued.
“The NHS needs a system-wide approach to recovery, one that prioritises investment, workforce resilience and long-term planning, rather than just delivering more activity. Failing this, the NHS will struggle to cope with both year-round and seasonal pressures without major impacts on performance and patient care.”
