NHS nurses already worse off as inflation outstrips their pay rise

Nurses in the UK have seen their real-terms pay slashed after inflation rose by 1.5 per cent in April.

Frontline workers, who were offered a paltry 1 per cent pay increase by the government back in March, will be worse off in real terms after the Office for National Statistics released the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) data.

The rate of inflation more than doubled in April as energy costs soared and clothing retailers hiked their prices.

The price of crude oil also continues to rise, which has fed through to the cost of motor fuels, which are now at their highest since January 2020.

Pandemic

The news will come as a kick in the teeth for healthcare workers who have endured a traumatic year, only to see their real time pay decrease.

Health secretary Matt Hancock recently said that the pay offer to NHS staff is a “real terms” pay rise, a comment duly dismantled by Peter Stefanovic.

Earlier this year analysis by the Royal College of Nursing found NHS salaries have fallen by up to 32 per cent over the past decade.

The study found that, when adjusted for inflation, salaries in all NHS pay grades have fallen in real terms.

Dame Donna Kinnair, RCN Chief Executive and General Secretary, said at the time: “This new analysis shows the devastating real-term cuts to NHS salaries over the past decade.

“Years of austerity have left nursing staff badly underpaid.

“The nation has seen the very best of nursing in the past year – the skill, dedication and professionalism involved.

“The government cannot possibly stand by this insulting 1 per cent offer.”

Worth less than half a roll of Downing Street wallpaper

TLE analysis found the latest pay rise is worth less than half a roll of Downing Street wallpaper after revelations over the PM’s flat came to light.

According to reports Boris Johnson and his partner Carrie Symonds splashed out up to £200,000 on the refurbishment.

That includes wallpaper that cost £840 a roll, a Baby Bear sofa that cost £9,800, a Lilly Drum table at £3,000 and an armchair at £5,900.

The latest pay increase equates to just £330 additional income per year for the average nurse, and just £250 for a newly qualified Band 5 NHS Nurse.

Jack Peat

Jack is a business and economics journalist and the founder of The London Economic (TLE). He has contributed articles to VICE, Huffington Post and Independent and is a published author. Jack read History at the University of Wales, Bangor and has a Masters in Journalism from the University of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.