AIBU to think a potential 2% pay rise for the NHS staff is ridiculous?

Does anyone know if you can ask to receive the back pay of the pay rise over a number of months?
I have a friend who is on UC and is worried that one large(ISH) sum added to her pay in one month is going to cause her problems. Thank you.

Ending of October

You will be paying more tax in Scotland...

We've just been told sometime in autumn

My trust is saying August pay but im not holding my breath, its more likely going to be September's

Does anyone know when this is due to be paid?

GP staff do often get a rubbish deal. And it's a really hard job dealing with angry patients who can't get appointments - my mum was a GP receptionist. Clinical staff have greater responsibility than non qualified staff, but their day to day job is often easier.

If everyone was given for example a 2k pay rise, how would that narrow the gaps?

Those on the lowest bands are likely having to claim UC to make ends meet. The money is all coming out of the taxpayer pot, so why not pay them a living wage in the first place.

Re 60% vs 80% - 60% of 50k is still much more than 80% of 22k, so still better off/,getting more of a raise.

We are AHP's, so shift allowances aren't a common occurance except those which do on calls/7 day working.

GP surgery worker here. I'm not even getting a 2% rise. I'm getting nothing and I'm already on less than my hospital and community counterparts.

If I could find an alternative mon-fri job to fit in with childcare (single parent) I would

I was comparing like with like. See the point about lower bands seeing 80% of the a raise of the same amount, compared to higher bands' 60%. Any response to that?

Well first of all, there are opportunities beyond band 7 for nurses, but also not everyone is a nurse so we don't all top out at 7. And you misunderstand my point about promotion, I'm not necessarily talking about higher bands. But if you continually give lower bands higher pay rises it eventually narrows the gaps between bands. So why be a staff nurse with all the additional work and responsibility it entails when a band 3 is paid almost the same? Especially when you then have to pay off your student loan and have higher pension contributions. Why go for a band 6 when you earn almost the same as a 5? (This is already an issue in nursing where taking promotion can be a pay cut due to loss of shift allowance).

B3 start point is 22k outside London.

Comparing shift uplift with non shift uplift pay bands is not relevant, have to compare like with like.

There are no promotions to go for anyway from B7. B8 clinical roles are very scarce, many people will sit on top of B7 for 30 years or more, and sitting behind a desk in a management role is not the best use of specialist clinical skills. So it's not really relevant to say it's not worth going for a promotion is a reason to not pay lower bands a higher percentage, and there are no promotions to go for anyway!
In my opinion it should be a lump sum increase across the scales, but I think we will have to agree to disagree.

Nobody is on 20k, it's below minimum wage. Everyone is struggling with increased costs, milk and rent has increased the same % for everyone so I don't see why we shouldn't want our wages to increase by the same % as others to compensate. You'll also be paying more tax on your raise than the lower bands. So if they got 2k extra they'd see 80% of it (minus NI and pension) but you'd see 60% of it (ditto, minus NI and pension and possibly increased student loan payment). So in real terms you are getting a lower pay rise, there will be less extra in your pay packet than theirs. If you feel guilty donate your increase to charity, but I'm grateful the increase is the same across the bands. We've reached a point where it's literally not worth going for promotion.

Also when I was a 7 and DH was a 5 we took home roughly the same due to his shifts, so lower bands aren't necessarily worse off.

I suspect that might have more to do with pay restoration and further strike action. 5.5% is reasonable but, I believe, still leaves pay lower than it was in 2007 in real terms. IIRC the unions grudgingly recommended accepting the pay deal that ended the strikes because they didn’t think they would get anything better but didn’t rule out further strike action.

I am just aware how my colleagues on lower bands struggle with the cost of living. My pre raise salary as a B7 was 54k, will be 56k after the raise, nice to have but not going to make a significant difference to me. But that same amount to someone on 20k would make much more difference. A pint of milk/rent etc costs the same whether you are on 20k or 100k

Yes @socks1107, that's what confused me!

No it's a pay award. I believe they'll pay it regardless of whether we agree or not

So, Unite say we'll be balloted about this now - will this drag everything out even more?

Agree!

No, that's how the headlines are being phrased but - The pay rise offer will take place over two years, according to The Times.

It constitutes a pay rise of between 8.1% and 10.3% as well as a backdated 4.05% increase for 2023-24.

That is on top of a 6% pay rise for 2024-2025, topped up by a £1,000 payment - an equivalent to a pay rise of between 7% and 9%.

IMO by giving the lower bands more and higher bands less all you do is remove any incentive for promotion. So I'm happy that the offer is the same % for all.

The junior doctors did get 22%.

I agree with this too, as a B7, I would prefer to see our 3's and 4's get a slightly higher percentage and us slightly lower.

I think 5% is reasonable though. But didn't Dr's get 22%?

I'm also pleased. Really happy for the junior docs too.

I am pleased with it too. As a relatively high band I would have been happy to see lower bands receive more and higher bands less but 5.5% isn't bad

I am pleased with it too

I'm pleased enough with today's announcement of 5.5% - I remember a lot of years with below inflation payrises.

What do others think?