BREAKING: Thousands of nurses to get pay rise after being ‘undervalued’ by NHS for years

Thousands of NHS nurses are in line for a pay rise as Wes Streeting vows to “recognise the true value” of the profession.

The Health Secretary has announced all Band 5 nurses in England – the most common grade of NHS nurse – will have their work and salary reviewed and could be in line for a promotion. Mr Streeting will announce a package of measures to help nurses earn more and progress through the pay bands quicker during their career.

Graduate nurses will also have their pay rates increased to stop them leaving after their first year or two in the NHS. It comes as the government has committed to increasing entry level pay for all graduate jobs in the health service such as occupational therapists, pharmacists, and speech and language therapists. The NHS Staff Council is currently deciding on the level of uplift.

Writing in the Mirror today, Mr Streeting said: “When we or someone we love falls ill, NHS nurses are there for us day and night. They are the ones who notice small changes that could save lives, provide comfort when anxiety sets in, they are the glue holding the NHS together under extraordinary pressure. Yet, for too long, those same nurses have been undervalued, underpaid and under supported. This government is determined to change that.”

Those on Band 5 represent 44% of NHS nurses and include those newly qualified as well as those who have worked for the NHS for many years with a salary of between £31,000 and £38,000.

The Government announced the review of the NHS pay structure after nursing unions complained 56,000 nurses in England have been at band 5 for more than seven years and were unable to progress.

Professor Nicola Ranger, General Secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: “Too many nurses are not being paid fairly and valued for their skills and responsibilities in caring for patients, too often starting and finishing their careers on the same low pay band.

“It is the first time nursing has been prioritised in this way. We set out a strong case for supporting nursing careers and the government has responded with a series of important commitments to staff in the NHS in England. For those who get a band uplift as a result, this is real change and real money.”

Crucially, the Government pledged that extra NHS funding will be made available to support the band 5 review process and any resulting salary uplifts. Unions such as the Royal College of Nursing, Unison, Unite and GMB are concerned of pay falling behind as doctors continue to strike despite being offered a better pay deal than the rest of the NHS workforce.

Resident doctors got a 5.4% pay rise in 2025/26 while the rest of the NHS workforce, on its main “Agenda for Change” contract, were awarded 3.6%. An announcement is expected soon on NHS pay for the year 2026/27 following a recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body.

Unions have successfully argued that for years many nurses have been working at a higher level than their pay deserved. All NHS workers have long had the right to have their pay re-evaluated if they thought they were working at the wrong grade. However this process has been criticised for being adversarial and too drawn out.

As well as a proactive review of all band 5 nurses and their duties, the Government is also today announcing a National Nursing Preceptorship for graduate nurses This is a 1-2-1 support programme aiming to give newly qualified nurses the best possible start to their career.

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England said: “A new national nursing preceptorship where newly registered nurses are guided by experienced practitioners will provide stronger support as nurses transition into practice, helping to build confidence, capability and retention across the nursing workforce.”

Wes Streeting, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care

When we or someone we love falls ill, NHS nurses are there for us day and night. They are the ones who notice small changes that could save lives, provide comfort when anxiety sets in, they are the glue holding the NHS together under extraordinary pressure.

After my diagnosis of kidney cancer and subsequent surgery, it was the nursing teams who provided that reassurance of constant expert care and vigilance, often only a few feet from my hospital bed.

You can’t put a high enough value on that kind of expertise, care, and my gratitude is without limit. Yet, for too long, those same nurses have been undervalued, underpaid and under supported. This government is determined to change that.

Today, alongside nursing unions, including the Royal College of Nursing, we announce a major new commitment. A package of reforms designed to recognise nurses’ true value. That means supporting them at critical points in their careers and thereby strengthening the NHS with a motivated nursing workforce, focused on the safest and best patient care.

“First, we are boosting graduate pay for nurses as part of upcoming reforms to the Agenda for Change pay structure. Newly qualified nurses should not start their careers feeling financially squeezed or undervalued. Fair pay is not just about respect, it is about retaining skilled staff and making sure patients receive safe, high-quality care.

Second, we are making sure nurses are paid for the work they actually do. Too many nurses have been working beyond their job descriptions. That isn’t fair, it’s taking advantage and it isn’t sustainable.

We are backing a full review of band 5 nursing roles – the entry level for most people starting their nursing careers – to make sure nurses are placed in the right pay band from the start. This will mean rewarding expertise, releasing more time to focus on patient care and less on bureaucratic disputes.

We’re improving the workplace support new nurses receive too. Like health outcomes around the country, this has been patchy and it’s another postcode lottery we are determined to end.

Every new nurse, wherever they work, will receive structured one-to-one support at the start of their career. By boosting confidence, reducing burnout and helping more nurses stay in the NHS, we’re making the health service safer and more effective for every patient entering a hospital or clinic.

Nurses were there for me when I had cancer and I will be there for them. Rebuilding the NHS starts with valuing those who deliver compassionate, high-quality care to each and every one of us, 24/7, 365 days a year.

This government will never take their service for granted.