Current Agenda for Change pay rates can be found in the latest pay circular.
Agenda for Change Pay Circular (AfC 1/2009)
Following the publication of Pay Circular AfC 1/2009 we have some enquiries from employers asking whether the re-numbering of the spine points, following the deletion of the bottom point of the pay spine, would have implications for ESR processes. We have been liaising with the ESR team and have been assured that the content of the pay circular will not create any difficulties for ESR users. McKesson’s have issued notification to all ESR users to confirm the actions they will take to ensure that the new pay rates are implemented with effect from 1st April 2009. As ESR does not cross reference to Agenda for Change spine points there will be no implications for the KSF gateways within the AfC Pay Bands.
Most contracts of employment will make reference to the national Agenda for Change Terms and Conditions of Service. The above pay circular that falls under these terms and conditions of service confirms that the spine points within the Agenda for Change pay bands have been re-numbered. This should, therefore, not present problems to those employers who may have chosen to appoint or assimilate staff to particular spine points rather than pay bands.
Pay Circular (AfC 1/2009) has been agreed by all parties and will not be the subject of any further amendments as this would lead to a delayed implementation the pay award.
Agenda for Change pay rates
The NHS terms and conditions of service handbook contains the Agenda for Change pay rates that are effective from:
- 1 April 2007 and 1 November 2007
- 1 April 2006
- 1 April 2005
- 1 October 2004
Staff assimilated to Agenda for Change should be paid in accordance with these published pay scales.
Mandatory professional registration fees
As part of the 2007 pay settlement agreed for NHS staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions of service, it has been agreed that an allowance of £38 will be made to support the payment of clinical registration fees for those clinical staff in England where registration with one of the regulatory bodies is mandatory in order to practice. Payment will be made to appropriate staff in bands 5-8(A) inclusive. Payment will be made from 1 November 2007 and each year until November 2010 by when it will have been reviewed.
NHS Employers has received advice from the HM Revenue and Customs about the implications on income tax and PAYE for employers:
"Where the payment is made by an employer directly to the employee as a contribution towards the expense incurred by the employee in respect of having his or her name included on a professional register the treatment for income tax is straightforward. The employer must make the payment subject to deduction of PAYE tax in the same manner as a payment of salary; i.e. the payment should be put through the payroll. There is no requirement for a separate disclosure of the award either in the employer's end of year return or by the employee."
Employees should direct any personal enquiries on this matter to their employer.