The Royal College of Nursing warns that NHS nursing staff are stuck in a cycle of financial catch-up due to below-inflation pay rises
NHS nursing staff across the UK continue to face mounting financial pressures, prompting renewed concern from the Royal College of Nursing (RCN). While pay remains a key issue, the broader impact on workforce morale, retention, and patient care is drawing increased attention.
NHS nursing wages have not kept up with inflation since 2010 for nurses
The RCN has revealed that starting salaries for NHS nursing staff are now more than £8,000 lower than if wages had kept up with inflation since 2010.
Band 5 nurses, a group that includes many who remain at the same band throughout their careers, have seen the largest erosion of their wages, a staggering 21%. The low and below-inflation awards they received between 2010 and 2025 have resulted in a cumulative loss of earnings of £70,000. This is not just a number, but a long-term impact that these dedicated professionals are bearing.
Patricia Marquis, Executive Director for RCN England, said: “Ministers must realise that the only sensible choice left to them is to negotiate directly with the largest health care workforce. It is time to both deliver better pay and pay modernisation for nursing staff.”
Is a 3.6% pay rise enough?
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has initiated consultations across England, Wales, and Northern Ireland regarding the NHS/HSC pay awards for nursing staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions. This follows the NHS Pay Review Body’s recommendation of a 3.6% consolidated pay uplift for the 2025–26 period. While the UK and Welsh governments have announced this increase, the Northern Ireland Executive has yet to secure funding approval.
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger emphasised that such a pay rise would be “entirely swallowed up by inflation,” failing to address issues of nursing staff valuation, recruitment, and retention. RCN members are encouraged to participate in the consultation to express their views on the proposed pay award.
NHS Nurses’ 2025 pay rise is worth £5 extra a month
Using the Consumer Price Index, the government’s choice of inflation measure, this year’s pay rise is worth only £5 extra a month for a band 5 nurse.
Furthermore, analysis shows that had pay kept up with the Retail Price Index, the most accurate measure for the cost of living that includes housing costs, since 2010, the starting salary for a registered nurse would be nearly £40,000 a year.
For lower-paid nursing support staff at band 3, the pay rise is equivalent to less than £4.38 extra a month.
Patricia said: “This pay rise is derisory. It does nothing to reverse the trend of collapsing wages, especially for nurses at the start of their careers, and even by the government’s own calculations, barely covers the cost of a sandwich and a drink. Nursing staff are tired of playing constant financial catch-up, often struggling to pay rent or get on the housing ladder.
“Nursing is an incredible profession, but we are weighted to the bottom of the NHS pay scales and received one of the lowest awards this year, a situation which is deepening the workforce crisis and impacting patient care. Attracting and keeping talented people should be the government’s priority, but that requires them to do better on nursing pay.”
