Please read the information below before voting.

Care Quality Commission (CQC) has made a new pay offer for 2026-27. 

With effect from 1 September 2026, CQC is offering: 

• a 3.5% pay increase for colleagues in Grades A to E;
• a 4.0% pay increase for Grade F colleagues;
• a 3.5% increase to London Allowance, Home Worker Allowance, Operational Car User Allowance and On-call Allowance; and
• revalorisation of pay-scale minima and maxima for Grades A to F.  

It’s important that you read the full detail of the agreement before you vote.

FAQs

• Staff in Grades F to A. It does not apply to staff in Executive Grades 3, 2 and 1.
• Staff at Healthwatch England (HWE) 

The consultation is open midday on 16 November 2026. You will not be able to vote after this time.

You can cast your vote by logging in above. Only RCN members employed by CQC are eligible to take part in the consultation on this pay offer.

To update your details, please log in to MyRCN, call RCN Membership on 0345 772 6100 (select option one), or email membership@rcn.org.uk. You’ll need your membership number.  

Your employer will not know if or how you chose to vote on this offer. Your vote is confidential, and the consultation is conducted by the RCN.  

We’ll inform CQC of the outcome of this vote.  

Yes, provided you are an RCN member and employed by one of the organisations listed above, you are eligible to take part in the consultation on this pay offer. For your vote to be counted, your MyRCN record must be updated to include that you work there.

To update your details, log in to MyRCN or call RCN Direct on 0345 772 6100 (select option one), or email membership@rcn.org.uk. You’ll need your membership number.  

You don’t need an email to vote. You can simply vote above.

To be eligible to vote, your RCN record must show that you work at one of the organisations listed above. You can update your details on MyRCN, or call RCN Membership on 0345 772 6100 to make sure that your details are correct.  

We’re not making a recommendation about how you vote on this pay offer. We do encourage you to use your vote and have your say.

The effect on your benefit depends on your individual circumstances and the type of benefit you receive. Members who are on means-tested benefits, such as universal credit, should consider the implications of CQC’s pay offer before voting to reject or accept it in the consultation.

To check your benefits situation, call the Citizens Advice Helpline on 0800 144 8848 Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm. Calls are free.  

The offer is a gross figure (before tax), and you need to take deductions into account when considering the pay offer.

Pay is subject to tax and national insurance contributions. You should check the current income tax and national insurance rates to assess how the pay offer will affect your take-home pay. You can use the UK government income tax calculator to do so.

Rises in pensionable pay are also subject to increases in pension contributions.

Members of pension schemes pay a proportion of their wages into their pension, as does their employer. The pension these members receive is determined by how much is paid into this pension and how it is invested by the pension provider. For most members in any pension schemes, receiving a higher wage may lead to higher pension contributions, but exactly what the impact of this pay offer will be will depend on your individual circumstances.

We cannot give you advice on the impact of this pay offer on your pension. If you want to know more about your pension, you should consult your pension provider first and then take up financial advice if necessary.