Thank you for your request for information about the following:

Request

‘I would like to request the following information:

1. What is the average rate of pay for a UDA by financial year since 2017 to the current year in England?

2. What is the average rate of pay for a UDA in each upper-tier local authority (or lower-tier local authority) since 2017 to the current year?

3. What is the average remuneration to dentists for a course of treatment Band 1, Band 2 (including Band 2a, 2b, 2c), Band 3 and Urgent treatment by financial year since 2017 to the current year?

4. What is the average remuneration to dentists for a course of treatment Band 1, Band 2 (including Band 2a, 2b, 2c), Band 3 and Urgent treatment in each lower-tier local authority (or upper-tier local authority) since 2017?’

The NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) received your request on 29 September 2025.

We have handled your request under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FOIA).

Our response

I can confirm that the NHSBSA holds the information you have requested, and a copy of the information is attached.

Please read the below notes to ensure correct understanding of the data.

Please note, we hold no records prior to 2018/2019 as per our retention schedule.

https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/our-policies/policies-and-procedures

This report contains the details for the period stated 2018/2019 to 2025/2026 in England Local Authorities. Contracts filtered to where UDA Performance Target & Financial Value is greater than 1. The information within the report includes the data items and descriptions listed below.

Local Authority Name

This is the local authority the contract is located in.

Local Authority Code

This is the code of the local authority the contract is located in.

Reporting Year

The financial year which the activity relates to. Year-end methodology will include all activity data (including amendments) collected from FP17s scheduled in any of the fifteen schedule months from April to June, where the date of completion is on or between 1 April and 31 March of the year.

For example, 2019-20 will include all activity data (including amendments) collected from FP17s scheduled in any of the fifteen schedule months from April 2019 to June 2020, where the date of completion is on or between 1 April 2019 and 31 March 2020. Where FP17s do not have a date of completion, e.g. where the patient has failed to return to complete the treatment, the date of acceptance is used.

UDA Performance Target

The contracted units of dental activity to be achieved for the year, as entered on CoMPASS by the PCO.

UDA Financial Value

The financial value associated with the UDA performance target for the financial year, as entered on CoMPASS by the PCO.

Cost per UDA

This shows the cost per unit of dental activity at the contract. This is calculated by dividing the UDA Financial Value by the UDA Performance Target.

Average Cost per UDA

This shows the average cost per unit of dental activity at the contract. This is calculated by dividing the UDA Financial Value by the UDA Performance Target for all Contracts in the selected area.

UDA Allocation by Band

The number of UDA for that band - Band 1 (1 UDA), Band 2 (3 UDA), Band 3 (12 UDA), Urgent Treatment (1.2 UDA), Band 2a (3 UDA), Band 2b (5 UDA), Band 2c (7 UDA). Note that Band 2 treatments have been subdivided since November 2022 – further information is available of the NHSBSA website here:

https://faq.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/knowledgebase/article/KA-01976.

Band X Cost

The number of UDA for that band multiplied by the Average Cost Per UDA.

Data Queries

Please contact foirequests@nhsbsa.nhs.uk ensuring you quote the above reference if you have any specific questions regarding this response; or, if you feel you may be misunderstanding or misinterpreting the information; or, if you plan on publishing the data.

Reusing the data and copyright

If you plan on producing a press or broadcast story based upon the data please contact communicationsteam@nhsbsa.nhs.uk. This is important to ensure that the figures are not misunderstood or misrepresented.

The information supplied to you continues to be protected by the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is subject to NHSBSA copyright. This information is licenced under the terms of the Open Government Licence detailed at:

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence/version/3/

Should you wish to re-use the information you must include the following statement: “NHSBSA Copyright 2025”. Failure to do so is a breach of the terms of the licence.

Information you receive which is not subject to NHSBSA Copyright continues to be protected by the copyright of the person, or organisation, from which the information originated. Please obtain their permission before reproducing any third party (non NHSBSA Copyright) information.