Ulster Unionist MLA Alan Chambers has welcomed the latest progress towards the delivery of the 2025/26 pay award for Northern Ireland’s health workers, but highlighted the Executive has still only agreed to fund less than half of the cost of this year’s pay deal.

Alan Chambers said, “I’m glad the Executive has at last endorsed a proposal by the Health Minister to restore pay parity for health and social care workers. The proposal is designed to ensure that staff in Northern Ireland receive pay in line with colleagues elsewhere in the UK and to end the yearly uncertainty around the application of independent pay review body recommendations.

“While the proposal represents a significant step forward, the proposed financial allocation from the Executive is still less than half of the £208m it will cost the Minister of Health to deliver this year’s award. It is deeply regrettable, and incredibly unhelpful, that the First Minister later went on to cause such confusion in her remarks at the press conference following the Executive.

"The Minister has still been left in a very difficult position of having to work closely with the unions and professional bodies to try to chart a way forward.

“Whilst the Executive allocation does mark important progress in responding to the issue, it is important to be clear on exactly what has and hasn’t been agreed. The Minister of Health will continue to work for the delivery of this year’s pay award.”