Cap on English NHS Staff Pay to Be Scrapped

The UK Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has confirmed that the longstanding pay cap on NHS staff will be lifted. Addressing MPs on Tuesday, Hunt stated that the current system “wasn’t sustainable” and will be abolished next year, affecting England’s 1.4 million NHS employees.

Background and Union Demands

Last month, a coalition of 14 trade unions delivered a joint letter to Chancellor Philip Hammond, calling for:

• Almost 4% pay rise for one million NHS workers
• A one-off £800 payment to offset losses during the austerity period

This coordinated action highlighted widespread frustration over stagnant wages and rising living costs. For more on this campaign, see our related article on the cap on English NHS staff pay.

Reactions from NHS Employers

Danny Mortimer, Chief Executive of NHS Employers, welcomed the announcement as “helpful”. He stated:

“It is helpful to receive this confirmation from the Secretary of State, which echoes the messages to the pay review bodies from his colleague the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.”

Mortimer emphasised that:

• Further details will be unveiled in the Budget and through pay review bodies.
• Additional investment is essential to support pay awards above the previous cap.
• National backing is crucial to improve both recruitment and retention.

He also praised recent initiatives on affordable housing access for NHS staff and suggested enhancements to language testing for overseas nurses. Moreover, he reiterated calls for the reversal of disinvestment in CPD funding.

UNISON’s Call for Meaningful Pay Rises

UNISON General Secretary Dave Prentis warned that merely lifting the cap is insufficient without ensuring robust pay increases for all health workers. He argued:

“Scrapping the pay cap is the right thing to do, but it’s only meaningful if workers receive proper pay rises. The government’s announcement looks worryingly like a smoke and mirrors move, with talk of ‘productivity improvements’. NHS staff, patients and services shouldn’t suffer to fund a pay rise. And the government can’t cherry pick lifting the cap for health workers. This cap has to be scrapped and replaced with decent pay rises for all public service workers.”

Prentis stressed the need for a comprehensive approach that benefits the entire public sector, not just the NHS.