More than 1.4 million NHS workers will receive a 3.3% pay rise from April, the Government has announced.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the uplift was above the Office for Budget Responsibility’s forecast inflation of 2.2% for 2026-27, delivering a “real terms pay rise” for NHS staff.
But health unions criticised the increase. Unison’s head of health Helga Pile said: “Hard-pressed NHS staff will be downright angry at another below-inflation pay award.”
Mr Streeting said the increase will be in pay packets from April for the first time in six years.
“We have listened to the workforce and understand the difficulties they face when pay awards are not delivered on time.
“That’s why this Government committed to speeding up the pay review process, remitting the Pay Review Bodies months earlier than previous years, and submitting written evidence earlier too.
“In making this award, I am accepting in full the recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body.”
Rachel Harrison, GMB national secretary said: “GMB welcomes the efforts made to ensure NHS workers will receive their pay increase when it is due, in April.
“The first time this will have happened in years, but this award is just not enough to make up for more than a decade of pay cuts under the Tories.
“NHS workers deserve more and GMB will fight for that at the long overdue agenda for change structural talks we have now been promised.
“GMB reps will now meet to discuss the pay award and determine next steps.”
We welcome NHS workers receiving their pay increase when it is due.
— GMB Union (@GMB_union) February 12, 2026
The first time in years.
But this award is just not enough to make up for more than a decade of pay cuts under the Tories.
NHS workers deserve more. We will fight for that.
Speaking of NHS workers, Ms Pile added: “Yet again, they’re expected to keep delivering more while effectively being given less, as pay slides behind living costs. Having an increase on time for once is only small comfort.
“For thousands at the bottom of the salary scale in England, half their increase has gone on bringing their hourly pay rate up to the legal minimum.
“Ambitions to make the NHS the ‘country’s best employer’ are doomed to fail if it can’t even compete with high street supermarkets whose staff are on at least the real living wage.”
Jim Fahie, Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s assistant director for employment relations, warned the UK Government that the award would fall short of members’ expectations.
“It is less than last year’s award and lower than the current rate of inflation, so is a real-terms pay cut and makes absolutely no ground on restoration.
“This comes at a time when our members are working ever harder due to chronic staff shortages and huge waiting lists.”
Gill Walton, Royal College of Midwives general secretary said: “The Government has let down midwives and maternity support workers yet again, after months of promises from the Health Secretary that he would invest in maternity services and keep them safe.
“Without fixing the unfair pay system, this real-terms pay cut is an insult to midwives who work 100,000 unpaid hours every week just to keep maternity services running.
“Our members are sick and tired of these broken promises to sort out pay and staffing and their anger is justified.”
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