Question for anyone who is a band 8a or above (NHS)?

[nhspayquestion]

Posting for traffic, so sorry!

Can anyone who is a band 8a or above in the NHS please explain to me the pay rise coming into effect over the next couple months and how this affects our banding? I've read that we are eligible for a two step pay rise, one paid in October and one in November due to the reconfiguration of these bands, ie the introduction of intermediate pay points for these bands - is this correct?

The bandings available online from Oct 2024 say that the new structure is

£53,755 for 0-2 years experience

£56,454 for 2-4 years experience

£60,504 for 5+ years experience

Can anyone tell me if I'm correct in thinking that, as band 8a with 4 years experience (I started in post in March 2020), I'll be eligible for the two step pay increase and should therefore go up to £56,454?

The reason I'm asking is, I've had my pay slip for this month (the pay rise was supposed to come into effect and backdated pay etc to April in October's pay), and it's showing a new salary of 53,755, and this has been backdated to April. But I should be on the middle one, according to the structure above?. From what I've read online 8a's and above will have a staggered pay rise, so am I right in thinking I'll go up again in November, and therefore I'm technically due another chunk of backdated pay next month too?

Any advice from anyone more in the know than me is very welcome as this is hurting my head!

Thank you

I should add that I did try to contact my Trust's payroll department on Friday but they didn't seem to know - said they'd call back and never did.

Yes I think you're right. I've had some backpay this month, and I understand the backpay for the new increment will be paid next month.

My understanding is the revised increment and any associated back pay will be paid in the November 2024 payroll.

Thank you both! Nothing I seemed to read online clarified it for me.

The second pay point and associated back pay will be Novembers pay.

Good grief why are they doing it in two goes? How ridiculous just bung it all in the computer and pay everyone from October

To stagger the workload associated with implementing back pay. The NHS
employs a huge number of people.

As other posters have said we’re getting it in 2 parts. So the initial 5% rise with back pay should’ve been paid at the end of this month and the extra step for band 8a is being implemented at the end of November. My trust sent a comms about it earlier this week.

I don't see how it changes the work load. Just work out what everyone's pay should be with a spreadsheet or whatever and be done with it

I thought this as well & I didn't get any payrise or back pay this week. I'm in Wales but I don't think that makes any difference. Don't know about the 2 step part as > 5 years at 8a.

I'm in wales too, there was no change to my wages this month. Probably end up with about 37 quid after tax and pension arrears.

No one I know is bothered that they are waiting until November for this anyway.

I'm bothered they are waiting until November, it's bloody outrageous. It is effective from April, they are paying us 8 months late. It's great it's backdated but I need it paid when it's due, not 8 months in arrears. My council and mortgage company won't accept 8 months of arrears, nor will Tesco or my child's nursery. In no other company, private or public would this be acceptable. Everyone else in a Gvt department got theirs on time!!!

It was a paltry amount anyway.

Thanks everyone!

Should be in November's pay - if your payroll dept seems unsure, keep an eye out and contact them if it doesn't appear.

Aren't increments performance related as well now - your line manager has to to sign off passing the gateway.

NHS Employers is a good source on this type of thing.

https://www.nhsemployers.org/news/bands-8a-and-above-intermediate-pay-point-faqs

A poster above has given the right answer. In England the uplifts to all pay bands was processed in October and the change to points for 8a plus (where applicable) will be done in November.

Don't take this as gospel but if your service date on band was March 2020, you'll be on the mid point from April 2024 and then subject to rules of progression you'll go up to the top in March 2025.

You might also need to look at how they are counting years. I work in another public sector organisation and in the past have been on AFC, although we're now on civil service T&Cs so, 'what's an increment' .

But at some point at least, when counting years service for increments, you had to have been on the band by a certain date in order to qualify for an increment and if you missed it by even one day, you had to wait until the next year for your increment.

I’m fully expecting them to mess mine up as I also reached the 5+ years pay step on 28th October, having started October 2019. I’m assuming this means I’ll get the back payment for the 2-4 years increase from 1st April and automatically go to the top of the band in November’s pay but I’m not holding my breath!

@Bjorkdidit
My increment date is stated on my wage slip every month, it says March 2025. So they appear to have the correct details on my HR file as I started as an 8a in March 2020 (albeit with a different NHS Trust), and when I moved over to my current Trust they agreed to honour my increment date. I don't think they'd be able to dispute it since it's printed on my wage slip every month?

Under the old 8a pay structure, I'd have been due to progress to the top of an 8a in March, so my pay for years 0-4 was static (as there were only two increments in the previous structure). Under the new structure, I should have been on the middle increment since April 2024 (£56,454), and from March next year I should then move to £60,504. That's how I'm understanding it anyway!

Yes, that makes sense! Hopefully that's what happens. If not I'd definitely query it.

@Wonderwall23
I did look at that website, and others, a few times but I couldn't find the answer to this specific query. Unless I missed it.

I think my this confused my initially was, the payrise was publicised as being 5.5%, yet I'm going from £50,952 to £56,454 from Sept-Nov, which equates to a 10.7% payrise (if I've done my maths correctly).

I'm assuming that's because I happen to be in the middle of an 8a already, therefore eligible for that extra step. But because it's essentially double what the payrise was advertised as being, I thought it sounded too good to be true!

*why this confused me - sorry I can't edit my posts on the app!