The union, which represents staff working across the NHS in almost every professional group has urged members to reject the insultingly low 3.6% award. It is also balloting members on whether they would be prepared to take strike action.

The pay award is below the rate of inflation, with RPI sitting 4.5% in April. The increase is less than doctors and dentists, who have been awarded 4% along with an additional £750 increase. 

The increase is also lower than Scotland NHS pay award where workers were awarded 4.25% for 2025/26 and 3.75% for 2026/27, with a guarantee that this is 1% above the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘The NHS is suffering a huge staffing crisis, thousands are leaving the service and those who remain are pushed to breaking point. Yet the government's answer is a substandard award that is below inflation and is an insult to NHS staff.

‘This offer does nothing to address low pay in the NHS which hovers perilously close to the legal minimum. How can this possibly be fair or begin to improve staffing in the NHS?'

The union says the 3.6% award fails to be restorative or combat the years of pay austerity. Since 2010 staff have lost between a third and a half of their pay in real terms.

Unite national officer for health Richard Munn added: ‘This offer makes a mockery of the PRB system. It is below what medics received and is below what staff doing the same roles in Scotland received.

‘The government needs to get the health unions around the negotiating table and come back with an improved award or they will witness the anger of our members.'

The ballot for Welsh NHS staff opens on 9 June and the ballot for English NHS workers on 16 June.  The ballots will be open for three and four weeks, respectively.

In response, a DHSC spokesperson, said: ‘We've accepted pay recommendations in full because we value every NHS professional's contribution to patient care. This year, NHS staff are receiving a pay rise of 3.6%, the second above inflation pay increase in ten months. That means that for the first time ever, a nurse will earn over £30,000 as a new starter.

'We've also committed to issuing the NHS Staff Council with a funded mandate for 2026/27 to begin to resolve outstanding concerns within the Agenda for Change pay structure, including issues with pay banding and career progression.

'We can't undo a decade and a half of neglect in less than a year, but together with NHS staff this government is rebuilding their pay and rebuilding our health service.'