Unions have called for certainty on NHS pay after the Pay Review Body (PRB)’s report was delivered to the UK government at the end of last week.

The annual pay award for 2025/26 is also late, as the pay year began on 1 April.

The government recently announced it would not pursue plans to overhaul the NHS pay structure to improve nursing recruitment and retention.

Joanne Galbraith-Marten, RCN executive director of legal and member relations said: “Nursing staff are the key to pulling the NHS out of its current crisis and delivering the government’s reforms.
 
“This will only happen when the profession is rewarded fairly for its work, allowing services to attract and keep experienced, highly skilled staff.”

“Our members already don’t feel valued by this government and any further delay will cause anger among those working in the NHS. With student numbers and international recruitment plummeting, the government cannot afford to kick the can down the road.”

UNISON has said that the government should put health workers 'out of their misery'.

UNISON head of health Helga Pile said: “Health workers’ water, energy and council tax bills have all gone up this month, yet the pay rise they’re due is nowhere to be seen.

“This is a government that wants to restore decision-making in the NHS to ministers rather than rely on arms-length organisations. That must apply to NHS pay too.

“The pay review body process operates at arms-length and is painfully slow and unaccountable. As a result, this year’s pay rise for NHS staff is already a couple of weeks late.

“Finally ministers have some recommendations from the pay review body to consider. The health secretary should avoid the mistakes of his predecessors. Sitting on the report will only make matters worse."