ARRS pharmacists eligible for 3.3% pay uplift

Pharmacists and other staff on the additional roles reimbursement scheme (ARRS) are eligible for a 3.3% pay rise, the government has confirmed.

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) told The Pharmacist that ARRS staff paid directly by NHS England will see pay increases in line with the 3.3% agreed for Agenda for Change (AfC) staff.

Its comments come after health and social care secretary Wes Streeting announced that the government had accepted the headline pay recommendations of the independent Review Body on Doctors’ and Dentists’ Remuneration (DDRB).

Mr Streeting also said there will be ‘increased funding’ for ARRS  to ‘facilitate uplifts for staff in line with DDRB and NHSPRB [NHS Pay Review body] recommendations’.

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He said that the pay increases will be delivered ‘as soon as possible’.

Mr Streeting added: ‘These awards are above forecast inflation over the 2026/27 pay year, meaning that the government is delivering a real-terms pay rise, on top of those in preceding years, underlining the extent to which we value our doctors and dentists.

‘We are in the process of concluding business planning across DHSC and its arm's length bodies and that will take the DDRB recommendations into account.

‘The existing challenging, productivity and efficiency commitments required by ICBs and providers to deliver breakeven positions are the foundations of the Government’s ability to agree this within the existing settlement.’

The latest NHS England primary care network workforce figures show that primary care networks (PCNs) employed 5,732 full-time equivalent (FTE) pharmacists in February 2026, up from 5,491 in February 2025.

Mr Streeting said that for GPs and other general practice staff there will be a 3.5% increase to the 'pay elements of the GP contract', but stressed the ‘the DDRB increases will not be paid for by cutting frontline services’.

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The DHSC said it was up to practices to provide the uplift to their staff 'as their staff are employed by them, not the NHS'.

'We have provided funding to practices to allow them to make the pay uplifts, including a direct uplift for ARRS staff, so their salaries which are directly reimbursed by NHSE will be increased in line with pay review recommendations,' a spokesperson added.

The amount staff receive may also be affected by oncosts such as employers National Insurance and pension contributions.

The DHSC confirmed that GPs on ARRS are eligible for the 3.5% uplift in 2026/27, as recommended by the DDRB, and that it will be funded.

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Ministers in February announced a 3.3% pay rise for NHS staff on AfC contracts.

*This article was amended on 1 May to make clear that ARRS staff are eligible for the 3.3% pay uplift but the amount they receive may be affected other factors including oncosts.