
Fair Pay for Nursing
Find out more about the Fair Pay for Nursing campaign and how you can get involved
The campaign
Nursing is the largest safety-critical profession in health care, playing a vital role in patient care.
Despite this, nursing remains understaffed and undervalued. After years of underinvestment, the government must act urgently to protect patient care by protecting the profession.
You can make a difference
When politicians neglect nursing, they neglect patients. We need members and supporters to come together to achieve a safely staffed workforce. You can demand change today.
NHS strike ballot: the results are in
More than 100,000 members voted for further strikes across England, but oppressive laws mean this isn’t enough for nursing staff to take more industrial action in their fight for fair pay.
The fight for fair pay
The Fair Pay for Nursing campaign is about:
- recognising that salaries of nursing professionals has consistently fallen below inflation – a fact which is being exacerbated by the cost of living crisis - and must now rise significantly to reflect that.
- valuing the training, qualifications, skills, responsibilities and experience demonstrated every day by nursing staff.
- ensuring that nursing is seen as an attractive, rewarding profession to tackle the tens of thousands of unfilled nursing posts.
- the campaign aims to secure a pay increase that is 5% above inflation (measured by RPI).
Governments’ response to this demand will indicate what they believe nursing staff who work outside of the NHS deserve too. We are clear that nursing staff deserve the same and fair pay no matter the setting or sector.
You can learn more about the history of the campaign and key milestones in our campaign timeline.
Funding our health and care system is a political choice. The government should make the right choice now.
Order campaign materials
Tell us your story
How are staffing levels and low pay affecting you right now? How is the cost-of-living crisis and the remnants of a global pandemic impacting your work and life? Capture your lived experience with our easy-to-use tool and help tell the true story of UK nursing.
Latest campaign news
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28 Nov 2023
Manx Care nurses accept pay offer
Result brings an end to pay dispute on the island.
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28 Nov 2023
RCN demands new negotiations following NHS consultant pay offer
We remain in dispute with the UK government regarding NHS nursing pay in England with more than 100,000 members voting for further strike action in our last ballot.
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8 Nov 2023
Manx Care make further pay offer after pressure from nurses
The Isle of Man’s largest nursing trade union is to survey its members once again over a revised pay offer from employer Manx Care.
Visit our Strike Hub
Stay up to date with new details about strike action, learn about strike benefit, donate to our strike fund and more.

Your strength is in your numbers
Our fight for fair pay in independent health and social care

Become a member of the RCN
Join the world's largest union and professional body for nursing.

Page last updated - 08/11/2023