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NHS: Pay

Asked by Alex BrewerLiberal DemocratDepartment of Health and Social CareTabled Answered 13 March 2026UIN 117049

The question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he is taking steps to introduce pay progression for Change Band 2 roles.

Answered by Karin Smyth

As part of the 2023 Agenda for Change (AfC) pay deal between the Government, employers, and trade unions in England, it was agreed to uplift the value of the bottom pay point of Band 2 to the same value as the top pay point of that band. This position was ratified by the NHS Staff Council, a partnership body made up of trade unions and employers that has overall responsibility for the AfC pay system and terms and conditions of service.

The Government accepted the NHS Pay Review Body recommendations for 2024/25 and 2025/26 in full, which included a recommendation to provide the NHS Staff Council with a funded mandate to make improvements to the AfC pay structure. Any changes to the AfC pay structure, including for Band 2 staff, will be for the NHS Staff Council to agree.

The Department will work closely with the NHS Staff Council to agree changes to the pay structure which will be backdated to 1 April 2026.

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