NHS Pay Rise 2026
If you are searching for nhs pay rise 2026, you are usually trying to pin down one of two things: what happened with the nhs pay rise 2025 2026 (often written as nhs pay rise 2025/2026) and when it actually shows up in pay, or what might happen next in nhs pay rise 2026/27. This page sets out what is confirmed, what is still in progress, and what UK workers can check to make sure they understand their position.
The Workers Union’s priority is simple: UK workers deserve clear, factual information about pay changes, dates, and what to look for on payslips, without jargon and without guesswork.
NHS pay rise 2025 2026: what was announced for 2025/26
For the nhs pay rise 2025 2026 period (the 2025/26 pay award for Agenda for Change staff in England), the Government published its pay award information in May 2025.
The Government’s published guidance stated:
- pay uplifts would be backdated to 1 April 2025, and
- staff would see the increase in pay packets from August (with the stated aim of getting money to staff faster than the previous year).
This is why so many people search for nhs pay rise 2025 to 2026 and nhs pay rise 2025 2026 when will it be paid: the pay award is linked to the April start date, but the operational payment often lands later, with back pay covering the earlier months.
NHS pay rise 2025 2026 when will it be paid
If your question is specifically nhs pay rise 2025 2026 when will it be paid, the Government’s published information for the 2025/26 award indicated that staff should see the increase from August 2025, with the uplift backdated to 1 April 2025.
What this typically means in practice for UK workers is:
- your payslip should show a higher ongoing rate from the implementation point (for many, August 2025), and
- you may also see a separate line or adjustment covering back pay for the period from April to the implementation date.
If you did not see this reflected, it is worth checking: your pay band or grade, whether you changed roles, whether any periods of unpaid leave apply, and whether you are employed under a different national arrangement (because pay approaches can differ across the UK nations and staff groups).
NHS pay rise 2026: what “2026” usually means in searches
The phrase nhs pay rise 2026 is often used in two ways:
- people looking back at the 2025/26 award and when it was paid, because the pay year runs across 2025 into 2026, and/or
- people looking ahead to the next pay round, commonly described as nhs pay rise 2026/27.
To avoid confusion, it helps to separate “payments linked to the 2025/26 award” from “the next pay award decision for 2026/27”.
NHS pay rise 2026/27: what is happening and why timing matters
For nhs pay rise 2026/27, the key point (as of January 2026) is that the pay round is run through the pay review body process. The Government’s remit letter for the NHS Pay Review Body remit letter: 2026 to 2027 indicates an intention to bring forward pay announcements compared with previous years and notes that this pay round is being launched earlier than the prior round.
The Government also stated, when discussing the 2025/26 award, an ambition to implement the next pay rise as soon as possible in 2026/27 and to improve timelines.
What we cannot do responsibly on this page is state a final percentage or a confirmed payment month for the 2026/27 award unless and until it is formally announced. If you are searching for nhs pay rise 2026/27 today, the most reliable information is the official pay round documents and announcements, not social media speculation.
What UK workers should check when an NHS pay rise is implemented
When any NHS pay rise is implemented (including back pay), the Workers Union suggests UK workers check the following carefully:
- Effective date: does your payslip reflect the backdated start date (for 2025/26, the published backdate was 1 April 2025)?
- Implementation date: does your payslip show the uplift from the month it was due to be paid (for 2025/26, the published expectation was from August 2025)?
- Role changes: if you changed band/role mid-year, back pay calculations may differ.
- Hours and additional payments: overtime, unsocial hours, and allowances can interact with the new basic rate.
- Devolved differences: arrangements can differ between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland depending on the staff group and the relevant employer guidance.
How The Workers Union can help
The Workers Union supports UK workers by helping you make sense of workplace changes that directly affect your income. If you are unsure whether you received the correct uplift or back pay for the nhs pay rise 2025/2026, or you want to understand what to look for as nhs pay rise 2026/27 progresses, we can help you map out the practical checks to make and the information to gather (payslips, contract hours, pay step points, and dates of role changes).
Our focus is clarity, accuracy, and ensuring UK workers can take informed steps based on the facts available at the time.
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