Bryan HayUNISON has called out the government for not delivering the annual pay rise due to NHS staff, describing them as “demoralised” by the delay. The union’s statement comes as the 2024/25 wage increase, expected on Easter Monday, has not been implemented, leaving NHS workers unsure about their financial future.
In a letter addressed to Health Secretary Victoria Atkins, UNISON attributed the delay to the government’s preference for the NHS pay review body process over direct union negotiations, prolonging the uncertainty for staff. The union stated, “With the cost-of-living crisis far from over, the government’s silence on NHS pay means health staff remain in the dark about how to budget.”
The delay coincides with significant increases in household bills, placing additional financial pressure on NHS employees. UNISON’s letter to Victoria Atkins highlighted the impact, stating, “From this week, millions of people will be paying substantially more for their council tax, water, broadband, mobile phones and TV licences.”
Further, UNISON warned of the consequences of the government’s approach, explaining, “Nurses, cleaners, ambulance workers and other NHS staff now ‘face months of uncertainty’ because the government was late beginning the pay review process and in submitting its own evidence.”
The union’s correspondence also touched on the plight of the lowest paid NHS staff, saying, “And there’s a particular problem with the staff on the lowest NHS pay bands who now earn just a penny more an hour than the statutory minimum wage.”
UNISON’s head of health, Helga Pile, criticised the government’s handling of the situation, stating, “But instead of doing everything possible to hang on to demoralised NHS employees, government delays over pay are simply giving staff another reason to leave.”
Pile called for a change in the process, asserting, “It’s clearer than ever the pay review body process is no longer able to achieve what it was set up to do. The time it takes to recommend the yearly wage rise is actually damaging the NHS. Direct pay talks would be far quicker and simpler.”
