Nurses in England vote to reject government's 5.5% pay rise

23 September 2024, 12:56 | Updated: 23 September 2024, 13:13

Nurses in England vote to reject government's 5.5% pay rise
Nurses in England vote to reject government's 5.5% pay rise. Picture: Alamy

By Danielle de Wolfe

Nurses across England have rejected a new 5.5% pay offer tabled by the Government.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

Members of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) in England rejected the deal by two-thirds in a record high turnout of around 145,000.

The pay award was announced by the Chancellor at the end of July, shortly after Labour won the general election.

It comes a week after junior doctors accepted a 22 per cent pay increase over 2 years.

According to the RCN the pay of experienced nurses fell by 25% in real terms under the Conservative government between 2010 to 2024.

File photo dated 18/01/23 of a general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward. Nurses have rejected the Government's pay award of a 5.5% rise, it has been announced. ssue date: Monday September 23, 2024.
File photo dated 18/01/23 of a general view of staff on a NHS hospital ward. Nurses have rejected the Government's pay award of a 5.5% rise, it has been announced. ssue date: Monday September 23, 2024. Picture: Alamy

The deal came after almost two years of ongoing strike action by junior doctors across the UK.

The RCN said the high turnout surpassed the level seen in two statutory ballots for industrial action held by the union in 2022 and 2023, the first of which permitted six months of strike action by nursing staff.

Read more: Anti-Israel heckler disrupts Rachel Reeves's speech at Labour conference

Read more: Rachel Reeves accepts donations appear ‘a little bit odd’ - as she admits accepting gifted family holiday to Cornwall

In a letter to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Wes Streeting, RCN general secretary Professor Nicola Ranger said: "We are witnessing a fundamental shift in the determination of nursing staff to stand up for themselves, their patients and the NHS they believe in.

"Many will support the new Government's health and care agenda as set out in recent weeks and fully recognise the diagnosis of a failing NHS.

London, UK. 1st May 2023. Royal College of Nursing picket outside University College Hospital as nurses begin a fresh strike over pay. Credit: Vuk Valcic/Alamy
London, UK. 1st May 2023. Royal College of Nursing picket outside University College Hospital as nurses begin a fresh strike over pay. Credit: Vuk Valcic/Alamy. Picture: Alamy

"Working closely with all other professionals, nursing staff are the lifeblood of the service.

"The Government will find our continued support for the reforms key to their success."

It follows a 28-hour walkout by cancer nurses in April, which marked the biggest strike by nurses in UK history.

It forced hospital bosses to warn of "exceptionally low" staffing levels at many UK hospitals.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Abdoulaye Doucoure of Everton argues with Curtis Jones of Liverpool during the Premier League match at Goodison Park, Liverpool.

Merseyside Mayhem: Four red cards handed out as Everton score late equaliser in last-ever derby at Goodison Park

Crowd Of Commuters Walking To Work Across London Bridge.

UK economy unexpectedly grew by 0.1% in last quarter of 2024, new figures show

Tranyelle Harshman, 32, of Wyoming, left her fourth daughter fighting for her life after going on a rampage at their home on Monday.

Mum-of-four shoots dead three young daughters before turning gun on herself

Speeding car approaching warning to slow down, on UK road

Shock figures reveal 'incredibly dangerous' speeding across UK - as one driver caught doing 122mph on 30mph road

Emergency services work near the scene of an explosion at a bar where a grenade was thrown, in Grenoble, on February 12, 2025.

At least 12 injured after man wielding assault rifle throws grenade into bar

Dorothy Chiles

Great-grandmother, 87, pictured for first time after deadly train station attack, as woman in her 20s arrested

President Donald Trump speaks on Wednesday night

Trump makes plans to meet Putin and end Ukraine war as he says 'the US wants its money back'

Exclusive
Katie Amess has spoken out about the need for an inquiry into her father's murder by an Islamist terrorist

Daughter of Sir David Amess, MP murdered by Islamist terrorist, ‘made to sign NDA’ on report into father’s death

Exclusive
Angela Rayner reveals she took advice from NHS trauma specialists ahead of Grenfell demolition meeting

Angela Rayner reveals she took advice from NHS trauma specialists ahead of Grenfell demolition meeting

Italian F1 Grand Prix - Previews

Nightclub bouncer behind £12m plot to reveal Formula One star Michael Schumacher's health secrets jailed

Josef Fritzl

Incest monster Josef Fritzl could walk free from prison next year - and expects 'cheering crowds' to greet him

Ofsted's Chief Inspector Sir Martyn Oliver supports an extension to term times

'Time to think about school holidays': Ofsted's Chief Inspector supports extending term times

Exclusive
Angela Rayner insisted that British support for Ukraine was 'unwavering'

Rayner insists UK support for Ukraine 'unwavering' despite Trump's plan for 'immediate' peace talks with Putin

Prince William, President of BAFTA, operates a film camera as he visits the London Screen Academy in London, Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth, Pool)

William tries his hand at being a cameraman on visit to London film academy

President Donald J. Trump participates in a bilateral meeting with the President of the Russian Federation Vladimir Putin during the G20 Japan Summit Friday, June 28, 2019, in Osaka, Japan.

Trump and Putin 'to meet in Saudi Arabia' and 'start negotiations immediately' to end war in Ukraine

Street scene in Peckham, London, with red bus

Bus driver, 76, found guilty of killing passenger who was run over while attempting to board vehicle