NHS Nurses’ Pay Rise 2022: What The £1400 Pay Increase Means

In July 2022 the government confirmed a pay rise for NHS Nurses, which will be back-dated to April 2022.

Full-time salaries will increase by £1,400 for most Nurses, which will equate to at least a 4% rise.

Nurses in Band 6 and 7 will have an increase that is a little higher than £1400 to ensure it is equal to 4% and not below.

However, for Nurses in Band 8A and above, the increase is back to a flat £1400. This means, for those Nurses, the % increase is less than that of those on lower bandings.

For instance, a Band 8A Nurse with up to 4 years experience will see an increase from £47,126 per annum to £48,526.00 under the new 2022 July NHS Pay Rise announcement. That's an increase of 2.97%.

For some, then, the increase therefore is higher than the 3% the government proposed a few months ago - for most bandings.

But it is not a uniform % increase for all, and it is still well below the level demanded by many trade unions.

The specific detail on increases has also been slow in coming.

While most bandings were confirmed in the initial announcement, the higher banding Nurses have been left scratching their heads for some weeks.

it is not a uniform % increase for all, and it is still well below the level demanded by many trade unions

As a result, it has been heavily criticised by many – primarily because it doesn’t match the current rates of inflation and rapid increase in the cost of living.

What A £1400 Increase Looks Like For The Average Nurse

This pay award means that a newly qualified Nurse at the start of Band 5 will now earn £27,055 a year, up from £25,655.

This represents an increase of more than 5%.

Meanwhile, a Nurse at the start of Band 6 will now earn £33,706, up from £32,306 – representing a rise of just over 4%.

a newly qualified Nurse at the start of Band 5 will earn £27,055 a year, up from £25,655 – a 5% increase

And here perhaps is one part of the problem for some critics.

A £1400 increase is a little more generous for a new starter – but for a more experienced Nurse, it represents a lower rate of increase.

A Band 8C Nurse will earn £67,064.00. Before the increase, they were earning £65,664.00.

That's an increase of £1,400, but represents a real increase of just over 2%.

Adding to the government’s problems is the delay in the announcement.

A Band 8C Nurse will earn £67,064.00. Before the increase, they were earning £65,664.00, an increase of just over 2%

Plus, of course, in the months between the suggestion of a 3% rise and the current decision, inflation has increased (it was at 9.4% in the 12 months to June) – as has the cost of living.

That means that any potential increase has lowered in actual 'real terms' value.

Unions Plot Their Next Move

Unions have been heavily critical, and many are planning further action.

Sara Gorton, Head of Health at Unison, said the increase was ‘nowhere near what’s needed to save the NHS’.

Meanwhile, Royal College of Nursing members will be asked to vote on what action they want to take in response, including the possibility of a strike.

Another challenge that has emerged is where the funding for the pay rise is actually coming from.

As has become clear, the Treasury will only fund 3% of this pay package – and the rest will come from existing NHS budgets.

That equates to an extra £1.8 billion.

More NHS Nursing Pay Information

We have more detailed information about NHS Nursing Pay.

• NHS Pay Calculator (includes take home, pension, NI breakdown)

• Nursing Salary and Pay Scale Guide

What’s Your View On The Pay Rise?

If you’re an NHS Nurse, what do you think of this pay rise announcement?

Will it make a meaningful difference to your finances?

As always, we’re eager to hear your views in the Comments below.