Nurses in England have expressed dissatisfaction with the government’s proposed 5.5 percent pay increase, claiming it falls short of their expectations, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
In a recent online vote, two-thirds of the 145,000 RCN members who participated deemed the pay rise unfair.
The pay award for 2024-2025 was announced by Chancellor of the Exchequer in late July, shortly after Labour’s victory in the general election.
However, despite the discontent, the RCN has confirmed it will not be balloting its members for strike action at this time.
Instead, the union plans to gauge the government’s response to the vote before considering further steps.
The long-standing challenges
RCN General Secretary, Professor Nicola Ranger, highlighted the long-standing challenges faced by nurses. In a letter to Health Secretary Wes Streeting, she stated that nursing staff remain determined to advocate for their patients, the National Health Service (NHS), and themselves. Ranger also pointed to a significant drop in real-term pay for experienced nurses, which the union claims has fallen by 25 percent under Conservative governments between 2010 and 2024.
While the RCN participated in strike action in late 2022 and early 2023, this ended when other NHS unions accepted a deal brokered by the Conservative government in the spring. The RCN was unable to secure enough support from its members to continue the strikes at the time. Ranger emphasised that nurses still “do not feel valued” and expressed concerns over issues like understaffing, poor patient care, and stagnant wages.
As the Labour government prepares to unveil a new health and social care agenda, Ranger reiterated the need for proper staffing levels and for nurses to feel appreciated if the NHS is to successfully undergo reform. “The government will find our continued support for the reforms key to their success,” she said.
Multi-year pay rises
The announcement from the RCN comes just after junior doctors, now referred to as resident doctors, accepted a multi-year pay rise to end their ongoing dispute. Ranger made it clear that while nurses do not begrudge doctors their pay increase, they expect the same fair treatment from the government.
In response, Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the hardships nurses have faced in recent years. “We know what nurses have been through… that’s why, despite the bleak economic inheritance, the Chancellor awarded them with an above-inflation pay rise,” he said. Streeting also emphasised the government’s commitment to working alongside NHS staff to address the current crisis and ensure the NHS is fit for the future.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, RCN members have voted to accept the 5.5 percent pay increase for 2024-2025. A Scottish Government spokesperson noted that the offer in Scotland starts from a “higher baseline” compared to England, which may explain the differing outcomes in the two nations.
Amelia Brand is the Editor for HRreview, and host of the HR in Review podcast series. With a Master’s degree in Legal and Political Theory, her particular interests within HR include employment law, DE&I, and wellbeing within the workplace. Prior to working with HRreview, Amelia was Sub-Editor of a magazine, and Editor of the Environmental Justice Project at University College London, writing and overseeing articles into UCL’s weekly newsletter. Her previous academic work has focused on philosophy, politics and law, with a special focus on how artificial intelligence will feature in the future.
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