A capital incentive scheme for A&E ran from March 2004 to March 2005. Under this scheme each acute NHS trust with a major A&E that met specific thresholds accessed payments of up to £0.5m.
The performance requirements for each threshold and the total number of organisations achieving each stage are below:
| Threshold | From | To | Amount (capital) | Number of trusts achieved threshold |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average 94% | 1 March 2004 | 31 March 2004 | £100,000 | 87 |
| Average 95% | 1 April 2004 | 30 June 2004 | £100,000 | 87 |
| Average 96% | 1 July 2004 | 30 September 2004 | £100,000 | 94 |
| Average 97% | 1 October 2004 | 31 December 2004 | £100,000 | 96 |
| Average 98% | 1 January 2005 | 31 March 2005 | £100,000 | 80 |