Mr Sunak, the Chancellor, said investing in health and social care was a “top priority” for the Government and had to be funded in a “responsible and sustainable way”.

“The money raised by the levy will enable us to deliver improved services for patients, cut waiting times and make social care funding more fair – all part of a better system for health and social care,” he said.

Over the next three years, £36 billion will be invested in the health and social care system to help reduce patient waiting times and speed up diagnoses.

The Government has said the funding will help deliver up to 160 diagnostic centres across the country by 2025.