The SoR has closed its consultation on the 2025-2026 NHS England pay award to members in England, following a successful vote to accept the offer from members.
Consultation closed on Thursday 26 June, with 60 per cent of participating members indicating their acceptance of the award.
This award, including back pay from April 2025, should be paid in August this year.
The full pay award will include an above-inflation pay rise of 3.6 per cent for all Agenda for Change staff for 2025 to 2026. This means that the Band 2 starting salary has increased to £24,465, over £4,000 more than in 2022 to 2023. The Band 5 starting salary will now be around £31,050, nearly £4,000 more than three years ago.
On Monday 30 June, the SoR will inform the NHS Staff Council trade union leads of its position, and get to work on the review and restructure of Agenda for Change with other trade unions and NHS employers.
The government has also committed to starting the NHS Pay Review Body process for 2026 in July of this year.
'A health service rebuilt for the 21st century'
Wes Streeting, health and care secretary, said: “Over the coming months, we will work with trade unions and employers to negotiate positive changes to the pay structure in 2026 to 2027 in partnership with the NHS Staff Council to benefit you and your colleagues. Our Plan for Change puts NHS staff at the centre of a health service rebuilt for the 21st century.”
Other proposed improvements to working conditions in the NHS Plan for Change include:
- New legislation making it a criminal offence for unqualified individuals to use the ‘nurse’ title
- A comprehensive package to tackle violence against staff
- Reforms to improve workplace flexibility and wellbeing
- Cutting duplication and waste in central budgets to invest in frontline services
- Investment into the national job evaluation system to ensure you are paid correctly for the work you are asked to deliver
Mr Streeting added: “We cannot build an NHS fit for the future without dedicated staff at its heart. These thoroughly deserved pay rises demonstrate our commitment to resetting relations with NHS staff and working together in our shared ambition to fix our broken NHS.
Fa“Thank you for your extraordinary commitment to the NHS.”
For more details on the government’s Plan for Change, click here.