NHS nurses in England are expected to reject the government’s proposed 3.6% pay increase this week, heightening the risk of strike action later in the year, according to BBC sources.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN), which has branded the offer “grotesque” in comparison to higher awards given to doctors, teachers, prison officers and military personnel, has been conducting a consultative ballot among its members.
Results are due to be announced in the coming days and are anticipated to show an overwhelming rejection of the deal.
Despite the government pointing out that nurses have received two pay rises above inflation in recent years, the RCN has remained firm in its stance.
The union says nurses – the largest professional group within the NHS – continue to feel undervalued and neglected.
While no formal strike decision has been made yet, the union is preparing for a potential industrial action ballot later in the year if talks fail to progress.
The current consultative vote is believed to have surpassed the 50% turnout threshold required for industrial action.
In May, ministers accepted the recommendations of the NHS pay review body, granting a 3.6% rise for the 2025/26 financial year.
However, union leaders argue this does little to reflect the contribution and growing pressures facing nursing staff.
The RCN is open to broader discussions around NHS pay structures, career progression and working conditions, urging the government to engage in negotiations over the summer to avert escalation.
An RCN spokesperson commented: “Our members will receive the outcome of the vote later this week. As the backbone of the NHS, nurses are disillusioned and expect more than token gestures from the government.”
A Department of Health and Social Care representative responded by stating that newly qualified full-time nurses would earn a basic salary of £30,000 for the first time this year due to previous pay increases.
“The government has made its position clear on headline pay, but is willing to work with the RCN on wider concerns such as structural reforms, career pathways and working environments,” the spokesperson added.
Elsewhere, the GMB union, representing thousands of frontline NHS staff including paramedics and ambulance crews, also rejected the 3.6% pay offer in an initial consultative ballot. Around 67% voted against the deal, with union leaders now requesting urgent talks with Health Secretary Wes Streeting.
GMB national secretary Rachel Harrison said: “Following our NHS committee meetings on 24 July, we have contacted the Secretary of State seeking urgent discussions on pay and key member issues. We await his response.”
Meanwhile, junior doctors in England began a five-day strike on Friday, following a breakdown in talks between the British Medical Association (BMA) and the government.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting acknowledged the disruption but claimed efforts were underway to minimise the impact on NHS services.
