Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has made an estimate of of the cost to the NHS of the resident doctors’ strike beginning on 7 April 2026.

We have estimated cost of strikes at £50 million per day for resident doctors currently. This would mean that the six-day strike beginning 7 April 2026 is estimated to cost approximately £300 million. We continue to update estimates as new data becomes available, in line with receiving business as usual financial data from National Health Service providers.

The NHS has tried and tested plans in place to minimise disruption and will work with partners to ensure safe care for patients continues to be available and emergency services continue to operate.