Advice on NHS pay bands?

[Bloballbovish]

I'd appreciate some advice about NHS pay bands if possible, as I'm trying to work out what I'm entitled to for maintenance but don't know my stbex's salary (hidden finances being part of the issue).

If an NHS employee has been on a certain band, eg band 5 for 10 years will they automatically be on the highest pay of that band? I have accessed the nursing pay bands and they show a range but I am quite surprised to see how much the highest paying for Stbex's band is as its much higher than I expected, especially given the issues with debt that have become apparent.

STBEX is trying to claim that only paying the mortgage is enough maintenance but that's about £100 a month lower than what maintence would be if I have worked out the pay right.

Obviously at some point we will need to involve solicitors or mediators but I was just trying to plan it out really.

Also, the pay scales, are they the base rates and any enhancements for night shift etc would be on top of that?

Sorry I know its not an AIBU, but I just wanted a quick response and wasn't sure if the health threads would be fast moving.

Hi, yes it's likely they would be at the top of their pay band depending on how many years they were in for; and they would get unsocial hours enhancements on top of that, and high cost area allowance for London and surrounding areas if he is employed in one of those Trusts.

Now it is that you have to have had satisfactory appraisals or you won't get your yearly incremental rise (which comes +/- a pay rise - just you move up the ladder!) but once you hit the top of the band that's the top of the band.

If he has had time out of work (illness or career break for instance) that wouldn't count though as 'years worked'. Or sometimes if people are bank only. So if he was on a substantive contract for 3 years and then bank for 7 he may not 'qualify' for 10 years at that band depending on the amount of hours he's done and the agreement with his Trust.

It sounds like he's telling you something you've discovered you can easily refute!

So if there's been periods of sickness in a year, there'd be no increment rise that year?

STBEX has had a lot of sickness off and on for years now. So maybe that would affect it.

It’s very likely he will be top of band . Sickness would not generally affect increment but I’m not 100 percent if his sickness was TERRIBLE.

Plus he will have enhancements he works rotation / unsocial hours/ weekends etc

If he works

Are you able to access a payslip? That usually contains information about pay points. If o are involving solicitors anyway your STBEX will have to submit financial documents so it's unlikely they will be able to hide their income.

It's very unlikely someone wouldn't go up an increment every year in the NHS within their band. They will be at top of scale within 10 years.

The sickness thing, I think they'd only not go up the increments as usual if they actually took a career break and came off payroll completely due to sickness.

I work in NHS finance and haven't seen people not go up the increments as usual (one per year) before. And I've reconciled pay for hundreds of people every month for several years.

Sickness would not have affected moving up the pay band in the trust that I worked in. After 10 years he would be at the top of that band, plus any enhancements.

If he's already being difficult and lying to you at this point about his earnings, it may be worth just going straight to the CMS and have it taken directly from his salary.

It is likely after 10 years that he is at the top of the band. Movement up between the pay points is based on appraisal and not having any live disciplinaries etc but for this to happen multiple times seems unlikely. Unsocial hours enhancement is paid on top as well as on call if applicable and obviously any overtime.

When I was a nurse I had been top of band five for years at the time my I think the top of the pay scale was around £28,500,but I earned around £5-6000 more with enhancement,s

It is worth noting that London attracts an additional percentage and the pay jumps are every 2/3 years now rather than every year.

I haven't seen a payslip or p60 for several years and they are never brought into the house or printed off now.

Thank for the replies, it has confirmed my suspicions really, but it is galling to know that I've been getting whinged at for how broke they are, and asked to lend money when my income has been so much lower and I've carefully lived within my means despite struggling at times. I think my entire income is lower than Stbex's money after bills, and yet out of my income that I've paid half of household costs (food, bills, mortgage etc) and everything thing for the kids.

I would say they're almost certainly at the top of band 5 after 10 years and if they work shifts an extra £300-£600 a month depending what they work. Nights and Saturdays are paid at +30% and Sundays are payed at +60%.