More than 1.4 million National Health Service staff in England are set to receive a 3.3 per cent pay rise after the government accepted recommendations from independent pay review bodies, delivering a salary uplift for nurses, paramedics, midwives and other frontline healthcare professionals.

The increase applies to workers covered by the Agenda for Change contract, which includes the majority of NHS staff outside of doctors and dentists.

Ministers said the award recognises the vital contribution of healthcare workers while balancing broader fiscal pressures, with the rise expected to take effect in the new financial year.

The settlement follows months of negotiation and consultation amid ongoing workforce pressures and recruitment challenges across the health service.

Officials argue that the increase will help retain experienced staff and improve morale while maintaining financial discipline within the public sector pay framework.

Health leaders welcomed the clarity provided by the decision but noted that sustained workforce shortages and rising demand continue to strain services.

Trade unions have said the pay award offers some support to members but maintain that long-term workforce planning and funding commitments remain essential to address structural pressures facing the NHS.

The pay uplift forms part of the government’s wider approach to public sector remuneration, guided by independent review bodies that assess affordability, inflation trends and labour market conditions.

The move comes as ministers seek to stabilise industrial relations across the health system and reinforce frontline capacity ahead of winter planning and ongoing reform efforts.