NHS Pay Bands

NHS pay rise 2021/22

The 2021/22 pay deal applied to all staff on Agenda for Change contracts. Each UK nation publishes its own circular: England and Wales follow the Pay Review Body recommendation, Scotland negotiates separately, and Northern Ireland implements once the Executive has signed off.

How the 2021/22 deal landed

The 2021/22 pay round delivered a 3% consolidated uplift to all pay points in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, following a year in which NHS staff had worked through the most intense phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 2021/22 deal was decided after the 2020/21 NHS staff had been through the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK Government's initial offer was 1%, which was widely condemned as insulting given the pandemic effort. After ballots and threats of industrial action, the final settlement was 3%, applied retrospectively from 1 April 2021. NHS Employers published the implementation circular in July 2021 with arrears paid in August or September. Scotland made a separate offer earlier in the year that was slightly higher.

Uplift by nation

Cash impact at the most-searched bands

For staff in England, the 2021/22 pay rise translates into the following annual cash increases at entry to the most common bands.

Band 2020/21 entry 2021/22 entry Change %
Band 5 £24,907 £25,655 +£748 +3.0%
Band 6 £31,365 £32,306 +£941 +3.0%
Band 7 £38,890 £40,057 +£1,167 +3.0%

Union response to the 2021/22 deal

The 2021/22 round was politically charged because it followed a year in which NHS staff had worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. Unions argued for a substantial real-terms rise to reflect that contribution. The initial 1% government offer was met with public protests outside government buildings. The eventual 3% settlement was higher than the initial offer but below the union ask of 12.5%.

Structural changes

Every pay point moved up by 3%. The pay structure was unchanged from 2020/21. The settlement was applied retrospectively to 1 April 2021 with arrears paid later in the year.

England

Annual pay scales 2021/22 [Archived] — NHS Employers

Read the circular
Band Minimum Maximum Hourly at top
Band 1 closed £18,546 Single rate £9.48
Band 2 £18,546 £19,918 £10.19
Band 3 £20,330 £21,777 £11.14
Band 4 £22,549 £24,882 £12.73
Band 5 £25,655 £31,534 £16.13
Band 6 £32,306 £39,027 £19.96
Band 7 £40,057 £45,839 £23.44
Band 8a £47,126 £53,219 £27.22
Band 8b £54,764 £63,862 £32.66
Band 8c £65,664 £75,874 £38.80
Band 8d £78,192 £90,387 £46.23
Band 9 £93,735 £108,075 £55.27

England pay scales for 2021/22, effective 2021-04-01. Hourly rate uses the 37.5-hour NHS working week. Source: Annual pay scales 2021/22 [Archived] — NHS Employers.

Common questions about the 2021/22 pay rise

How much was the NHS pay rise in 2021/22?
In England the headline pay rise was 3%. In cash terms, Band 5 entry rose from £24,907 to £25,655 (+£748); Band 6 entry rose from £31,365 to £32,306 (+£941); Band 7 entry rose from £38,890 to £40,057 (+£1,167).
When was the 2021/22 NHS pay rise paid?
The new England pay rates were backdated to 2021-04-01. In most Trusts the new rate first showed in monthly pay a few months after the official circular was published, with arrears for the backdated period paid alongside the first new monthly rate. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland followed their own implementation timetables.
Did Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland get the same pay rise in 2021/22?
Each UK nation negotiates separately. England and Wales usually follow the NHS Pay Review Body recommendation, Scotland negotiates directly with trade unions, and Northern Ireland needs Executive sign-off. The headline percentage and the structural shape of the deal can differ between nations.
Did NHS staff get a pandemic bonus?
Beyond the 3% consolidated rise in 2021/22, there was no separate one-off NHS pandemic bonus in England or Wales. Scotland paid a £500 thank-you payment to all NHS staff in 2020. Some Trusts ran their own internal recognition schemes, but there was no UK-wide bonus scheme.
Why was the 2021/22 deal controversial?
The UK Government's opening offer was 1%, which was widely seen as inadequate given the role NHS staff had played during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final 3% settlement was higher but still below the consensus inflation rate for the period and well below the 12.5% union ask. The disconnect between public messaging about NHS staff as 'heroes' during the pandemic and the modest pay offer fed the run of disputes that followed in 2022 and 2023.