Ministers offered nurses in England, Wales and Northern Ireland a pay rise worth 3.6%, however a vote revealed the majority rejected the proposal.
Following the decision, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have advised government to improve their offer for 2025/26 to avoid nurses form staging more strikes.
The RCN said: ‘In the largest consultation ever conducted by the RCN 91% said the NHS staff pay award of 3.6% was not enough to turn around a profession gripped by widespread vacancies, years of pay erosion and thwarted career progression.’
Now that the government have gone on their summer recess, the union have suggested MPs use their time off ‘to reach agreement on investment in the nursing workforce or face formal escalation to a dispute and an industrial action ballot’.
According to the RCN, the turnout of the vote was 56% and over 170,000 members in England participated. However, exact figures for members in Wales and Northern Ireland remains unknown.
Professor Nicola Ranger, general secretary and chief executive of the RCN, said: ‘We deliver the vast majority of of care in every [NHS] service and deserve to be valued for all our skill, knowledge and experience.
‘To avoid formal escalation, the government must must be true to its word word and negotiate on reforms of the outdated pay structure, which traps nursing staff at the same band their entire career.’
On the subject of pay traps, news of the votes outcome comes following the end of a five-day strike hosted by resident doctors. Staff staged their 12th walk-out in just over a year between 25th-30th July 2025.
Speaking to The Guardian, a spokesperson from the Department of Health and Social Care, explained their frustration at nurses for being ‘dissatisfied with this year’s pay rise.’
‘After receiving two above-inflation pay rises from this government, new full-time nurses will earn £30,000 in basic pay for the first time this year so it’s disappointing that RCN members are dissatisfied with this year’s pay rise,’ they said. ‘We hugely value the work of nurses and through our 10-year health plan, we are rebuilding the NHS for the benefit of patients and staff, and ensuring nursing remains an attractive career choice.’
Photo by SJ Objio via UnSplash
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