Over one million NHS staff in England receive pay rises

From yesterday (1 June 2023), more than one million NHS workers in England started to receive a pay increase following an agreement between the UK Government and unions.

Eligible workers are those on the Agenda for Change contract, which includes advanced speech and language therapists, consultant prosthetists, and occupational therapy support workers. Agenda for Change is the main pay system for staff in the NHS, except doctors, dentists, and senior managers.

Under the deal, eligible Agenda for Change staff will receive a non-consolidated award of two percent of an individual’s salary for 2022 to 2023. This is on top of the pay increase of at least £1,400 (pro-rated for staff working part time) staff received for 2022 to 2023, as recommended by the independent pay review body process.

For 2023 to 2024, the government has given Agenda for Change staff a five percent consolidated increase in pay, worth at least £1,065.

The deal will also provide a higher pay uplift for the lowest paid NHS staff, with all those in bands 1 and 2 having their pay raised to the same level.

The pay increase was reached following constructive talks with unions and organisations including UNISON, GMB, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, and the British Dietetic Association.

Health and Social Care Secretary Steve Barclay said: “More than one million of our hard-working NHS staff will begin to receive more money in their pay packet from today, including a backlog bonus for all their efforts during the pandemic.

“We’re giving nurses, paramedics, physiotherapists and other eligible staff a fair pay rise, which will see for example, band six staff getting an extra £5,000 over two years.

“We hugely value the work of NHS staff and the vital role they’re playing to cut waiting lists, which is one of the government’s five priorities, and recognises the work they put in day in and day out.”

In addition, NHS staff will also receive a one-off ‘NHS backlog bonus’, which recognises the sustained pressure facing the NHS following the pandemic and the “extraordinary effort” staff have been making to meet the Prime Minister’s promise to cut waiting lists.

The backlog bonus will be worth at least £1,250 per person but will be determined based on how much experience staff have and based on an individual’s pay band.

In April 2023, NHS Wales staff were given their “best and final” pay offer with an average increase of 15.7 percent over the next two years.