NICE funding variation request consultation

A funding requirement has applied to NICE technology appraisals since 2001. Regulations provide that ‘a relevant health body must comply with a technology appraisal recommendation’ and ‘NICE must specify in a technology appraisal recommendation the period within which the recommendation … should be complied with.’

The current funding variation request process has several key challenges linked to the operation, accountability and broader nature of the mechanism.

We are introducing a new overarching approach to support managing funding variation requests, designed to improve transparency and provide greater clarity for stakeholders. This approach includes an improved, more robust process and the establishment of an external funding variation advisory group, supporting a timely and consistent decision-making process.

You can review and comment on the proposed new approach outlined in our consultation document. The consultation closes at 5pm on Thursday 19 June 2026

About the consultation

The consultation document provides an overview of our proposed new approach to funding variation requests and includes the following:

• The NICE technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance manual. The manual includes an overview of the process of varying the funding mandate, and the roles and responsibilities of parties involved. This will be a modular update to the NICE technology appraisal and highly specialised technologies guidance: the manual.
• NICE’s rationale for updating the funding variation process, including the evidence generated to support the changes made.

Note that this document is not NICE's final manual for funding variation requests. Further amendments may be made as a result of the consultation. Any funding variation requests that are submitted before the publication of the final manual changes will follow an improved funding variation request process that sits within the parameters of the current manual.

Should you have any queries regarding the consultation, please email CLPT@nice.org.uk and we will aim to respond to your email within 5 working days.

Modular update consultation

You can now review and comment on the draft recommendations for this modular update.

The consultation closes on 19 June 2026.

How to comment  

1. Register your organisation or respond as an individual 

If you’re responding for an organisation, your organisation needs to be registered as a stakeholder.    

We can accept responses from individuals. Wherever possible we encourage you to submit your responses through a registered stakeholder organisation.   

If you wish to respond on this consultation as an individual, please create and activate a NICE Account first at https://accounts.nice.org.uk/register     

You can then sign into the consultation area via the link to the consultation document (online version) link below. 

Read the consultation documents  

Documents to respond to:   

• Interim FVR Manual Update Document

Supporting documents:   

• Equality impact assessment (downloadable version)
• Evidence review document and draft recommendation

Add your responses: 

• You will need to submit your responses via the questions within the online consultation document. Please see this video on how to comment for guidance on how to use online commenting.   

• You must declare any links with, or funding from, the tobacco industry   

If you share similar views with another organisation, please send a joint response.   

About the consultation

We have asked some questions about the consultation that we would like you to answer. You will be able to see the questions when you open the online consultation documents.

Your views are welcome, particularly:

• comments on the draft recommendations
• information about factual inaccuracies
• additional relevant evidence, with references if possible.

We would also like you to think about whether there are any aspects of the documents that need particular consideration to make sure we avoid unlawful discrimination against any group of people. For example, on the grounds of:

• race
• sex
• disability
• religion or belief
• sexual orientation
• age
• gender reassignment
• pregnancy and maternity.

Note that this is not NICE's final recommendation on this modular update. The recommendations may change after consultation.

After the consultation has closed, NICE will consider the responses we have received and prepare the final recommendation for change.

Please note that we reserve the right to summarise and edit comments we receive during consultation or not to publish them at all if, in the reasonable opinion of NICE, there are a lot of comments or if publishing the comments would be unlawful or otherwise inappropriate.

Please note: Responses to this consultation need to be submitted online. This consultation closes on 19 June 2026