From today, more than one million NHS workers will start to receive a pay rise following an agreement between the government and unions.
As part of the deal, eligible workers on the Agenda for Change contract, which includes nurses, paramedics, 999 call handlers, midwives, security guards and cleaners, will receive the pay rise, backdated to April.
As a result of this package, a newly qualified nurse will see their salary go up by more than £2,750 over 2 years from 2021-2022 to 2023-2024. They will also receive over £1,890 in one-off payments this year.
In addition, they will 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. The average nurse in pay band 5, for example, will receive £1,350.
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.
Under the deal, eligible Agenda for Change staff will receive a non-consolidated award of 2% 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. This meant a newly qualified nurse received a 5.5% increase, and those on the lowest salaries received a pay rise of 9.3%.
For 2023 to 2024, the government has given Agenda for Change staff a 5% 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.