How do NHS pay scales work?

[Wildflowery]

With Agenda for Change, do you get a salary increase every year, or just at the benchmark points in your band eg. 2, 3, 5 years of experience?

Also do you get any annual inflationary government awarded NHS pay rise in addition to this?

It's just at the benchmark points now for increments, it used to be smaller rises every year but when the terms were renegotiated a few years ago it went to the larger less frequent ones.

You usually get a cost of living increase yes, not always in line with inflation, it's usually between 1 and 3%, this year the unions are trying to negotiate for more but obviously it depends what the government is prepared to pay. Because of the protracted negotiation process involving multiple unions it never ever gets agreed by April of whatever tax year, it always takes until the summer and frequently even later to agree and then it gets backdated to April (so the payscales you are looking at now are the ones agreed last year, this year's are still in negotiation...

Thanks so much. They really don't make this clear up front and it always seems rude to probe too much about how pay works at interviews!

each band has a set numbers of increments. You normally start at lowest salary within your band. For the first few years it goes up quite nicely until you reach the top. After that you get the annual increase , whatever they agree . It’s been at 1% but last year they gave more because of the pandemic , however with the inflation it wasn’t really a pay rise . They haven’t agreed on how much yet , for the current year .

I read your post again, I think I got what you were asking better .

you salary increases at each benchmark, so like you said at 2-3-5 years whatever it is , you get the big jump up.

however , every year , they do agree I pay rise according to the cost of living .

so , let’s say your salary is 20k for year 1-2 -3then 22 for year 4-5 and 25 for year 6-7

if while you are “stuck “ at 20k , the government agrees a 2% ..you will go up to 20.400 until you reach your next official step up of 22k ( which will have gone up a 2% too by that point so 22.440)

not sure if I made it clearer or worse for you 🤣🤣🤣

This shows when each band has a step up and what you would be paid after 2 years/5 years.This is from NHS employers

@irene90 That actually makes perfect sense, thank you!