The ballot will ask members whether they are willing to take any form of industrial action.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) is asking nursing across the UK to consider if they would take industrial action over pay and working conditions.
An indicative ballot will run for RCN members in England between 4 November and 30 November, members in Scotland have until 4 November to vote, while Wales is still yet to confirm dates on a ballot.
In Northern Ireland, a formal pay announcement for health and social care staff is still pending.
The ballot will ask members whether they are willing to take any form of industrial action, such as strike action or action short of strike, or whether they would support colleagues to take industrial action even if you would not yourself.
The union has been calling for a fully-funded 12.5% pay rise for nursing staff since June 2020.
Worse off now than a decade ago.
In real terms, the most experienced front line nurses are around £6,000 per year worse off now than a decade ago.
Patricia Marquis, RCN Director for England, said: “With inflation, the current pay award leaves experienced staff with a real-terms pay cut. And now they face the prospect of their wages being hit further by the increase in National Insurance.
Graham Revie, Chair of the RCN Trade Union Committee, added: “Ministers must know how nurses feel but right now they are choosing to ignore the calls for a fair pay rise that finally recognises the sacrifice, skill and professionalism of the largest workforce in the NHS.
“We have to make sure the voice of nursing is impossible to ignore. I urge as many members as possible to take part and tell us whether they are willing to take industrial action and to turn things around for our patients and make it possible for us to give them the care they deserve.”
