UK nurses are struggling to make ends meet

NHS staff report that pay has not kept pace with living costs, leaving some with debts, overdrafts or difficulty affording rent; the FT-backed Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign is producing tailored financial guidance for around 1.5 million NHS workers.

Nurses across the UK report that pay has not kept pace with living costs, leaving some struggling with debt and day-to-day expenses. The Financial Literacy and Inclusion Campaign (FLIC), backed by the Financial Times, is producing materials aimed at roughly 1.5 million NHS staff to help with budgeting and understanding pay and credit. Charities and research cited in the report describe rising use of hardship support and links between financial worries and poorer mental health among healthcare workers. Several nurses in the article describe overdrafts, difficulty saving for a mortgage and concern about paying rent. Key points: - Some individual nurses said salaries are absorbed by debts or overdrafts, and some trainees face immediate difficulty covering rent when maintenance payments end. - FLIC is developing tailored financial education for approximately 1.5 million NHS employees, covering topics such as budgeting, payslips and using credit. - The RCN Foundation, which distributes hardship grants, expects applications to have risen by more than 60% in 2025 compared with 2024. - An 18,000-person study led by Manish Pareek found those with the greatest financial concerns were up to seven times more likely to meet screening criteria for depression, and nurses were identified as a higher-risk group. Summary: Financial strain reported by nurses is associated with increased demand for hardship support and may affect staff wellbeing and retention. FLIC is rolling out targeted financial guidance and the Policy Institute at King’s College London is evaluating the programme’s effects. Evaluation of the campaign’s impact is under way.