The UK Government is facing renewed pressure to increase nurses’ pay or risk a fresh wave of National Health service, (NHS) strike action.
According to British Eyes, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has demanded a 25% pay rise to recover earnings lost since 2010.
RCN General Secretary Nicola Ranger says the current 2.8% offer is “unacceptable” and fails to value nurses’ contribution.
Ranger warned ahead of the RCN’s annual congress in Liverpool that the nursing workforce is at a breaking point.
She stressed that nursing is critically underpaid, undervalued, and increasingly overburdened within the NHS.
Since 2010, nurse salaries have dropped 25% in real terms due to inflation and inadequate pay increases.
The RCN insists on full pay restoration to combat over a decade of austerity and mounting living expenses.
Recent deals, including a one-off payment and a 5% raise in 2023, failed to reverse this downward trend.
Between December 2022 and May 2023, NHS nurses staged eight strikes demanding better conditions and wages.
Many nurses say the response so far has been insufficient, given the current NHS workforce crisis.
The RCN draws parallels with junior doctors, who secured a 22% increase over two years following 11 strikes.
The British Medical Association is now seeking an additional 10% rise in 2025–26 for junior doctors.
Nurses argue their work is equally critical and that strikes would severely disrupt patient care nationwide.
Ranger said the government must act decisively or risk a healthcare breakdown due to staff dissatisfaction.
NHS Employers, representing health service management, called for a balanced and constructive negotiation process.
They urged unions and ministers to find sustainable solutions without worsening financial strain on the NHS.
Budget cuts under the NHS England “financial reset” have made large-scale pay increases more difficult to fund.
Scotland’s government has taken a different route, offering NHS staff an 8% increase over two years.
This Scottish offer sharply contrasts with England’s proposed 2.8%, intensifying pressure on Westminster.
The NHS Pay Review Body recommended a 3% rise for staff on the Agenda for Change scale UK-wide.
This recommendation still exceeds the government’s current offer, highlighting the growing pay gap.
Unison, another major health union, is also preparing members in England and Wales for possible strike ballots.
Unison says pay must keep up with inflation, or strikes in 2025–26 will be inevitable.
The government acknowledged ongoing NHS pressures and pledged commitment to fairly rewarding healthcare staff.
Officials point to a previous above-inflation rise for nurses as evidence of this commitment.
However, unions argue that one-off actions are not enough to fix deep-rooted pay issues in nursing.
Healthcare leaders agree that a solution is urgent to maintain staffing and protect patient safety.
With rising tensions and stalled progress, the risk of NHS disruption appears increasingly likely in the months ahead.
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