Nurses to benefit from boost to graduate pay and job progression

NHS nurses are set to receive a career boost, as the government and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) have agreed a major package to properly recognise the vital work they do.  

Nursing and nurses are essential to leading and delivering the government's 10 Year Health Plan, and critical for patient safety, experience and outcomes, but the profession has been undervalued in the NHS for far too long. Too many nurses are not being compensated appropriately for the work they do, and there is currently no universal preceptorship programme in place for new graduate nurses. 

This government is clear that a constructive relationship with unions is in everyone's interests. Following engagement with all nursing unions including UNISON, Unite, and GMB, and a dedicated period of intensive engagement with the RCN, the biggest nursing union, it has agreed a series of measures which will transform the nursing profession and make sure that nurses get the pay and support they deserve.  

This includes: 

• Prioritising increasing graduate pay.
• Reviewing the roles and pay bands of every band 5 nurse. 
• Establishing a single national nursing preceptorship to create a national framework to support newly qualified nurses.  

Health and Social Care Secretary, Wes Streeting, said:  

Nurses have been arguing that they deserve more recognition – and rightly so. They are essential for leading and delivering our 10 Year Plan for Health, yet many nurses are not being fairly compensated for the work they do.  

That's why, this government is working constructively with the Royal College of Nursing to deliver a fair day's pay for a fair day's work for nurses. I want to thank Nicola Ranger and her team for their constructive approach to talks - it's clear that working together is in everyone's interests, especially patients.  

I hope nurses feel heartened that this is a significant leap forward for their profession — and a sign of just how much the NHS and this government values them. Nurses were there for me when I had cancer - I want to be there for them.

RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said:  

Today's announcement is significant progress on career progression for nursing staff.  Too many are not being paid fairly and valued for their skills and responsibilities in caring for patients, too often starting and finishing their careers on the same low pay band.  

It is the first time nursing has been prioritised in this way. We set out a strong case for supporting nursing careers and the government has responded with a series of important commitments to staff in the NHS in England. For those who get a band uplift as a result, this is real change and real money.

Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer for England, said:

These measures are a positive step for nurses – prioritising increasing graduate pay recognises the value and responsibility of nurses at the beginning of their careers, while a comprehensive review of Band 5 roles and bands will mean their pay and job descriptions better reflect their work.

A new national nursing preceptorship – where newly registered nurses are guided by experienced practitioners - will provide stronger support as nurses transition into practice, helping to build confidence, capability, and retention across the nursing workforce.

Today's announcement demonstrates a clear commitment to valuing nurses, supporting their professional development, and investing in a sustainable nursing workforce for the future.

This announcement comes ahead of discussions with health unions on improving the Agenda for Change pay structure, which the government has committed to fund following NHS Pay Review Body recommendations in both 2024 and 2025. Backed by a funded mandate from the government, unions and employers will agree changes to the Agenda for Change pay structure to benefit employees. One of the conditions will be that pay for all graduates should be increased, with the NHS Staff Council deciding the level of uplift. This will not only benefit graduate nurses, but also other vital NHS professions such as occupational therapists, pharmacists, and speech and language therapists.  

For years, too many nurses have been working at a higher level without being paid fairly for it. Like all NHS workers, nurses have the right to be paid for the work they are asked to do, and for their pay to be re-evaluated if they believe they are working at the wrong grade. However, the RCN feels that this has been difficult for nursing staff to access and is often a very drawn out and adversarial process. Every band 5 nurse will now have their role reviewed by their employer to make sure their pay and job description reflects the job they do.  

Additional funding will be made available to support the band 5 review process and any resulting salary uplifts – separate to the funding for the 2026/27 cost of living pay award and pay structure reform discussions. The government will also review evidence to determine whether further action is needed to make sure all nurses are being paid fairly.  

Alongside problems with pay, too few nurses are currently benefitting from structured career support right from their first graduate role. The Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) for England will lead work with unions, employers and stakeholders to improve the quality and consistency of preceptorships – 1-2-1 support programmes which give newly qualified nurses the best possible start to their career – across the country.  

Helga Pile, UNISON Head of Health, said:  

For the NHS to deliver the standards of care patients need, nursing and other healthcare roles must become more attractive options as graduate professions. Better starting pay and earnings prospects are essential. Delivering a comprehensive review of band 5 nursing roles is key to rooting out and correcting underpayments that have built up as responsibilities and expertise have increased.  A national preceptorship is welcome and long overdue to ensure nurses are supported in the critical early stage of their careers.

Rachel Harrison, GMB National Officer, said:

GMB welcomes this commitment to recognising the value of the nursing workforce across the NHS.  Hard working staff should get paid appropriately and fairly for the work they do.  GMB continues to campaign for workers right across the NHS to be paid a fair wage in line with all their duties.

Steph Lawrence MBE, Chief Executive, The Queen's Institute of Community Nursing, said:  

The QICN welcomes this news and believes this will be a real boost for nursing. We hope that we can support the review of job descriptions and work with the RCN and government around the community nursing preceptorship and development pathways for community nursing.

Professor Greta Westwood CBE RN, Chief Executive Officer, Florence Nightingale Foundation, said:  

The Florence Nightingale Foundation welcomes this national commitment to ensuring that every nurse benefits from high quality preceptorship. We have long championed preceptorship as the foundation for a strong, fulfilling and enduring nursing career. Our research shows the importance of preceptorship in retaining staff, but also highlights the current variation in quality and access. By strengthening preceptorship nationally, including quality and access, we can build a more resilient, confident nursing workforce, which will underpin the future sustainability of our health and care system.

Dean Royles, Interim Chief Executive for NHS Employers, said: 

We welcome this important commitment from the government to develop a national approach to preceptorship for newly qualified nurses. This approach will help make sure they receive the support they need during their first years working in the nursing profession. It is also only right that nurses are paid fairly for the invaluable work they do across the NHS.

A thriving NHS workforce is crucial to building a health service fit for the future – these reforms invest in NHS nurses to recognise them fairly for the work they do.