NHS Staff England Receive 3.6% Pay Rise 2025-26

The UK government has announced above-inflation pay rises for NHS workers, teachers, and other public sector employees for the 2025-26 financial year, exceeding the initially budgeted 2.8%. NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts, including nurses and social workers, will receive a 3.6% pay increase, while doctors, teachers, and other groups will receive a 4% rise or higher, with junior doctors also receiving a consolidated payment. These pay rises are funded through efficiencies and cuts in central health budgets, avoiding frontline service reductions. However, nursing unions have criticized the disparity, calling the 3.6% rise for nursing staff insufficient compared to doctors and highlighting persistent issues with pay erosion and career progression barriers within the NHS pay structure. The government has accepted independent Pay Review Body recommendations and plans to undertake pay structure reforms for Agenda for Change staff to address these concerns. This announcement follows a series of public sector pay agreements aimed at resolving industrial disputes and improving morale after years of pay stagnation.