Pay rise: thousands of UK NHS nurses set to receive 2026/27 pay increases and career boosts

12 February 2026

Thousands of nurses working in England’s NHS are set to benefit from enhanced pay and improved career progression opportunities following a major agreement between the UK government and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The package, announced on 11 February by Health and Social Care Secretary Wes Streeting, aims to address long-standing issues of pay fairness and undervaluation within the nursing profession. It includes measures to boost graduate pay, review job roles for band 5 nurses, and introduce a national preceptorship framework to support newly qualified staff.

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This comes amid broader discussions on the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay structure, with structural reforms scheduled for implementation in the 2026/27 financial year. These changes are separate from the annual cost-of-living pay award for 2026/27, though this is not yet finalised and awaits recommendations from the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) expected in spring or summer 2026.

Key elements of the agreement

The deal prioritises three main areas to enhance recognition and support for nurses:

• Graduate pay uplift: The NHS Staff Council will focus on increasing pay for all AfC graduates, including nurses, as part of the upcoming structural reforms. The exact level of uplift will be negotiated between unions and employers, with government funding committed to support it. This aims to make nursing a more attractive graduate career, countering slow earnings growth at entry level.

• Band 5 role reviews: Every band 5 nurse – around 180,000 staff – will have their roles, pay bands, and job descriptions reviewed by their employers. Band 5 is the entry-level band for most qualified nurses, but many perform duties equivalent to higher bands without matching pay. Additional ring-fenced funding will cover the reviews and any resulting salary increases, potentially leading to promotions to band 6 or above.

• National preceptorship framework: A unified national programme will be established to provide structured mentorship for newly qualified nurses in their first one to two years. Led by England’s Chief Nursing Officer Duncan Burton, this will standardise support, improve retention, and build clinical confidence.

These initiatives follow intensive talks with nursing unions, including the RCN, UNISON, Unite, and GMB, and build on NHSPRB recommendations from 2024 and 2025.

Reactions from key figures

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “Nurses have been arguing that they deserve more recognition – and rightly so. They are essential for leading and delivering our 10-Year Plan for Health, yet many nurses are not being fairly compensated for the work they do.”

RCN General Secretary Professor Nicola Ranger welcomed the move: “This announcement is significant progress on career progression for nursing staff. Too many are not being paid fairly and valued for their skills and responsibilities in caring for patients.”

UNISON’s head of health, Helga Pile, added: “Boosting starting pay and longer-term earnings prospects is key. They’re delivering more complex care, making tougher decisions and supervising more junior staff.”

Background and context

Nurse pay has fallen 10.7% in real terms since 2010, compared to 6.9% for the average public sector worker, contributing to high vacancy rates of around 40,000 in England. The NHS relies heavily on nurses, who make up over 400,000 of its workforce, but issues like stagnant pay bands and limited progression have driven retention challenges.

This agreement aligns with the government’s commitment to fund AfC reforms, as recommended by the NHSPRB. However, unions have criticised the proposed 2.5% cost-of-living rise as insufficient, with final decisions pending.

In Scotland, nurses received an additional pay boost in February under an inflation guarantee in their 2025-27 deal, highlighting regional variations.

Expert analysis: The impact on nursing and the NHS

As an organisation, we have seen firsthand how undervalued pay and unclear career paths lead to burnout and high turnover. This package could be transformative, particularly the band 5 reviews, which address the reality that many nurses handle advanced responsibilities without fair compensation. By prioritising graduate pay, it may attract more talent to the profession, essential amid workforce shortages.

However, success depends on swift implementation and adequate funding. With NHS finances tight, there’s a risk of delays. From an advocacy perspective, this is a positive step, but nurses deserve a comprehensive fair pay deal that reflects their safety-critical role. Continued union pressure and government commitment will be key to ensuring these reforms deliver real change for patient care and staff wellbeing.

For international nurses, including those from Africa who contribute significantly to the NHS, these changes offer clearer progression routes, potentially improving integration and retention.

Nurses are advised to update their details with their unions and prepare for role reviews. More details can be found on the GOV.UK website or RCN resources.

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Fellow Nurses Africa is the independent voice of African nursing, we educate, inform and support nurses across Africa