NHS nurses in England and Wales will this week be asked if they would be prepared to strike if the delayed 2025/26 pay award fails to keep up with rising living costs, the union Unison has announced.
This comes as ministers are now considering the recommendations of the NHS Pay Review Body on an uplift for Agenda for Change staff for 2025/26, after being handed its latest report at the end of last week. The details have not yet been made public.
Unison has today warned ministers against sitting on the recommendations and to instead confirm this year’s pay increase – which should have come at the beginning of April.
The union also said it would this week begin a ‘consultation exercise’ to understand how far NHS nurses and colleagues would be prepared to go over pay, including taking strike action.
Head of health at Unison, Helga Pile, said: ‘Health workers’ water, energy and council tax bills have all gone up this month, yet the pay rise they’re due is nowhere to be seen.
Related Article: NMC signs anti-racism charter as part of culture change pledge
‘This is a government that wants to restore decision-making in the NHS to ministers rather than rely on arms-length organisations. That must apply to NHS pay too.’
She criticised what she described as a ‘painfully slow and unaccountable’ pay review body process and reiterated that this year’s rise for NHS was ‘already a couple of weeks late’.
‘Finally ministers have some recommendations from the pay review body to consider,’ said Ms Pile.
‘The health secretary should avoid the mistakes of his predecessors. Sitting on the report will only make matters worse.’
Last week it was announced that NHS nurses in Scotland had been offered an 8% two-year pay deal by the Scottish Government.
While the Scottish Government does not have an NHS pay review body process, it does rely on the Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB) for recommendations on general practice staff pay – meaning general practice nurses in the country are still waiting for an update on their pay.
Unison said the offer for NHS staff in Scotland would ‘raise questions’ for those in England and Wales ‘about whether ministers in Westminster have got their priorities right’.
‘The fact that health workers are having to consider what action they would be prepared to take on pay should be a wake-up call for the government,’ she said.
‘The NHS needs staff to help it back onto its feet and reduce waits for patients. With so much at stake ministers need to show they value the workforce.
Related Article: NHS-specific barcode to ensure prompt delivery of appointment letters
‘That starts with ensuring a decent pay rise and getting on with the talks they promised last summer to fix long-running problems with the NHS pay structure.
‘It’s time the Westminster government pulled out all the stops on NHS pay.’
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: ‘The department has now received the NHS Pay Review Body recommendations for 2025/26 – regarding pay for Agenda for Change staff like nurses, paramedics and healthcare support workers.
‘We will carefully consider the recommendations before responding.’
NHS nurses in England and Wales took historic action over pay and working conditions back in late 2022.
While today’s news is focused on nurses working in the NHS on Agenda for Change contracts, general practice nurses also continue to wait for an update on their pay for 2025/26.
Related Article: UKHSA warns of worrying rises in infectious diseases since Covid pandemic
The government has not confirmed whether it has received recommendations from the DDRB – which makes recommendations for GPs and other general practice staff.
In December 2024, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) submitted evidence to the DDRB using findings from a Nursing in Practice survey which exposed several concerns about the pay and conditions of general practice nurses.
This month, Nursing in Practice has also published a full report on the salary, terms and conditions and career intentions of general practice nursing staff – which also includes practical tips on how to negotiate pay.
