Health unions have been seeking a restorative pay rise after years of real-terms pay cuts.
Hardworking NHS workers will be award a yet-to-be-determined pay rise next year, the Chancellor has confirmed during today’s emergency spending review.
Earlier this year nurses and junior doctors were left out of a pay deal for other public sector workers.
While no firm figure was provided by the Chancellor, it is expected that the Government will wait for a recommendation from the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) during the first quarter of 2021.
It is widely anticipated that the pay body will recommend a rise of around 3%. However, those who earn under £24,000 will be guaranteed a pay rise of at least £250.
Health unions have been seeking a 12.5 to 15% restorative pay rise for their members after the most experienced frontline nurses saw a massive 20% real-terms pay cut over the past decade.
Due to a predicted rise in unemployment and a downturn in private sector wages due to the pandemic other public sector workers, such as teachers and the police, will have their pay frozen.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has since spoke out about the decision.
Anthony Johnson, lead organiser for Nurses United UK, said; “Across every nation of the UK, we have seen how much love and respect we all have for the public sector workers on the frontline.
“It’s not just NHS workers who have lost a 1/5 of their pay since 2010 but our teachers, our cleaners, our firemen and our social workers who have all suffered under this Government.
“We know who we value and who we care about and it is not the corrupt millionaires who only got richer during this crisis by donating to their pals in Westminster.
“We need to organise and that is what Nurses United exists for because we have been supporting the growth of a grassroots campaign with the teeth to say that we need a 15% restorative pay rise to bring us back to safety within our NHS.
“The NHS will last as long as we have the will to fight for it and within Nurses United we do.”