Following the announcement that the Government accepted the Pay Review Body's recommendation of a 3.6% pay award for Agenda for Change staff in England, the relevant ministers in Northern Ireland and Wales have now accepted it too.
The award for members working in the NHS and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland for 2025/26 is 3.6% across all pay grades and will be backdated to 1 April.
We submitted evidence to the Pay Review Body in December 2024 setting out our case for an above inflation pay rise. The evidence included the value of the profession in contributing to government priorities, as well as the challenges with recruitment and retention.
At our subsequent oral evidence session, we made a clear case for an above inflation award, with an extra 1% to begin the journey to pay restoration. We also stressed that separate funding to cover the costs of revising and modernising Agenda for Change pay scales was needed. You can read the evidence we provided here.
Whilst 3.6% will not address pay restoration this year, it is an above inflation award and we were successful in ensuring that funding for the work on Agenda for Change pay scales does not come out of the allocation for pay.
It is important that we have a clear picture of your views. We are therefore asking members working for the NHS in England and Wales and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland whether you are prepared to accept the award or not. You will be emailed the details.
The BDA Trade Union National Executive Committee have made a decision not to make a recommendation this year and to leave it to our members to decide. However, it is important to point out that if the majority of members reject the award, then the only course of action is industrial action, following a successful ballot.
Work on the 2026/27 pay round will begin in the summer in order to bring forward the implementation date next year.
Please note that pay in Scotland is determined by collective bargaining between the Scottish Government and recognised health unions and their offer was accepted by BDA members in May.
A full comparison of pay at each band and in each nation can be found here.
