The entry point of band 3 will also receive an advance of 28p per hour to maintain the differentials with the top of band 2. No changes to any other pay points will be made at this time.

The Electronic Staff Record will amend the payroll system to ensure the uplifts occur automatically from 1 April 2025, preventing the need for any manual intervention.

Unison head of health Helga Pile said: ‘If the government did the right thing and delivered a decent pay rise on time, there'd be no need for this endless cycle of interim top-ups to stop NHS wages dropping below the legal minimum.

‘Ministers have to move away from the glacial pay review body process that's unable to keep up with the 1 April date each year when staff are due their annual wage increase.

'Health services remain many thousands of workers short, yet staff are key to getting the NHS back on its feet. Recruitment rates won't rise if the lowest wages continue to hover barely above the legal minimum.

'NHS pay is once again lagging behind the real living wage rate of £12.60 an hour, which supermarkets chains are already putting in place.'