Cancer waiting times: some patients waited over 104 days to start treatment on NHS

NHS England data for 2025 shows many trusts missed the 62-day cancer treatment target and a small number of patients waited more than 104 days from urgent referral to first treatment; nationally 69.1% began treatment within 62 days.

The NHS missed key cancer waiting-time targets in 2025, and data show some patients waited more than 104 days from urgent referral to first treatment. The longstanding standard is to treat 85% of patients within 62 days, a target not met nationally since 2014. The Government set an interim goal for trusts to reach 75% within 62 days by March and has announced a National Cancer Plan aiming to meet waiting-time targets in coming years. NHS England figures record wide variation in performance between trusts. Key figures: - A small number of trusts reported that at least one in six patients who began treatment in December 2025 had waited more than 104 days since an urgent referral. - Nationally 69.1% (239,038 of 345,847) of patients began cancer treatment within 62 days in 2025, up slightly from 67.7% in 2024 but below the 85% target. - Only three of 119 acute trusts reached the 85% 62-day standard in 2025: Calderdale and Huddersfield (89.2%), Homerton Healthcare (85.8%) and Maidstone & Tunbridge Wells (85.7%). - Some trusts recorded substantially lower performance, with roughly half or fewer patients treated within 62 days in the poorest-performing organisations; the Government has set an interim 75% target by March and a longer-term commitment to meet targets nationally. Summary: Reported delays can make some treatments less effective and may affect outcomes, according to charities and experts cited alongside the data. NHS spokespeople said the service is treating record numbers and set out a National Cancer Plan and interim targets to improve waiting times. Progress will be measured against those interim and longer-term goals, and overall performance varied substantially between trusts.