8% pay increase for nurses, midwives and NHS workers in 2025-26
and 2026-27.
Nurses, midwives and other healthcare staff across Scotland have
been offered a pay increase of 8% over two years to ensure they
continue to be the best paid in the UK, Health Secretary has announced.
The offer guarantees the pay increase will be one percentage
point above inflation over same period.
If accepted by trade unions, it will see pay raises of 4.25% in
2025-26 and 3.75% in 2026-27. It involves an investment of more
than £700 million over the two-year period and will ensure almost
170,000 NHS Agenda for Change staff – including nurses, midwives,
paramedics, allied health professionals, porters and others –
benefit from the pay rise which will be backdated to 1 April
2025.
Health Secretary said:
“This is a strong two-year pay offer that has been agreed
following constructive engagement with trade union
representatives. It is guaranteed to remain above CPI inflation,
which gives added reassurance to staff, and will ensure
Scotland's nurses, midwives and NHS staff have the best pay in
the UK.
“This comes on the back of increased employer national insurance
contributions following the UK Government announcement in October
2024. It directly increases the overall cost of pay by an
estimated £191 million for Scotland's NHS.
“I want to express my thanks again to Scotland's hardworking
healthcare staff for their continued hard work and commitment.
“The unions will now consult their members and I hope this offer
will be accepted.”
BACKGROUND
A total of £701 million has been committed for Agenda for Change
pay in 2025-26 and 2026-27. This equates to an uplift of 8% for
all staff, 4.25% in 2025-26 and 3.75% in 2026-27.
