The government’s 2026-27 pay award for Agenda for Change staff will cost the NHS an extra £1.2bn and has been described as “insulting” by the service’s largest unions.
Health and social care secretary Wes Streeting has confirmed that more than 1.4 million staff on the pay framework in England will receive a 3.3 per cent pay award next year. In doing so, he has accepted the recommendations of the independent NHS pay review body in full.
Mr Streeting told the House of Commons: ”This award is above the government’s affordability position set out in its evidence to the NHSPRB… The existing challenging, productivity and efficiency commitments required by ICBs and providers to deliver breakeven positions are the foundations of the government’s ability to fund this within the existing settlement.
“This additional pressure above affordability will be managed by DHSC and ALBs (including NHSE central budgets) but none of the pay increases will be paid for by cutting frontline services.”
The government had told the government it could afford a rise of 2.5 per cent. HSJ estimates that the 3.3 per cent award will create around £1.2bn of cost pressures.
Date: 23 February