Welsh Government is imposing a 3.3% pay rise for Agenda for Change staff, to be paid from 1 April 2026.
It is also applying the Real Living Wage uplift to Bands 1, 2 and the entry point of Band 3. That means staff in those bands will receive more than a 3.3% uplift, but it also means they will be placed on the same rate of pay. UNISON Cymru has already raised this with Welsh Government and demanded urgent talks to find a solution that does not leave these bands compressed.
As part of the wider pay package, Welsh Government has also committed to talks on Agenda for Change pay structures. There are clear problems in the structure, including compression in the lowest bands, and these need to be addressed urgently.
The UNISON Cymru health committee has agreed to take part in these talks to improve the pay structure and build on the award. Any improvements agreed through those talks will be backdated to 1 April 2026, so the 3.3% award is not necessarily the final position for everyone.
UNISON Cymru head of health Tanya Bull said: “All NHS Wales staff have seen their pay swallowed up by rising bills, and 3.3% is not going to make any substantial difference. Seeing doctors and dentists awarded 3.5% will also hit hard. Everyone is working in the best interests of patients, so to see one part of the workforce awarded more, again, feels unfair.
“The pay structure talks are an important opportunity to improve the parts of the system that are not working for our members. Any agreement could also mean further rises for some staff. These negotiations need to happen quickly and must be properly funded by the government.”
UNISON Cymru health committee chair Dawn Ward said: “Now more than ever, it is important for UNISON members to stand together. Change for workers comes when they act together, not when they are divided. Talks on the pay structure are a vital first step in UNISON Cymru’s call for direct negotiations with Welsh Government on headline pay, so NHS Wales staff get awards that recognise their dedication and hard work.”
