Brexit's Economic Toll: A Missed Opportunity for NHS Improvement
By Editor • September 6, 2026 • 1 min read
The financial repercussions of Brexit could have turned the NHS into a world-class healthcare system, according to leading economist Nick Bloom. In an interview with The Independent, Bloom revealed that the UK economy has suffered a loss of up to 8% of GDP due to Brexit, which translates to approximately £3,000 per person annually.
Bloom, a professor at Stanford University, asserts that this significant economic downturn arose from diminished trade, increased bureaucracy, and prolonged negotiations surrounding the Brexit deal. He pointed out that the economic shortfall is nearly equivalent to the 9.7% of GDP allocated to health services prior to the Covid pandemic, suggesting that recapturing these funds could drastically improve NHS services.
He criticized past claims made by the Leave campaign, specifically the assertion that Brexit would free up £350 million weekly for the NHS, calling them “exactly and perfectly wrong.” Bloom urged the UK government to strengthen ties with the EU to mitigate ongoing damage and begin to recover lost economic ground. He emphasized that redirecting recovered funds to the NHS could eliminate waiting lists, enhance hospital facilities, and increase salaries for healthcare professionals, creating a vastly improved health service.
Source: www.independent.co.uk
