Northamptonshire hospitals plan to give thousands of staff £250 cost-of-living payment

Thousands of workers at Northamptonshire’s two general hospitals are in line for a £250 payment to help them with the cost-of-living crisis.

The University Hospitals of Northamptonshire group – which runs KGH and NGH – is planning a £1m scheme to help those on the lowest wages with rising food and energy costs.

The plan would see 4,000 workers on bands one to three, which have a top salary of £23,177 according to NHS pay structures, be given the one-off non-pensionable payment. It would be subject to tax and national insurance, meaning about £170 would land in workers’ pockets, with the recommendation set to be discussed by both hospitals’ board of directors this week.

Paula Kirkpatrick, group chief people officer for the University Hospitals of Northamptonshire, said: “Both of our hospital trust boards are looking at a number of ways in which we can support our staff during this time of unprecedented cost-of-living challenges.

“We are particularly concerned about staff who may be proportionally more affected by the difficulties due to their lower earnings.

“We have already taken some actions to support staff wellbeing including free car parking, working with experts who can offer our staff financial advice, and we are working hard to flexible, supportive and understanding as an employer. In addition, a package of measures to support staff will be considered at our trust boards this month, at Northampton on Thursday (September 29) and Kettering on Friday (September 30).

“We are still in the early stages of responding to this challenge and in addition to these proposals we will be discussing with our staff, and representatives of the broader health system, about how we can support each other.”

A report prepared by Kettering General Hospital chief executive Deborah Needham said that one healthcare assistant had told her that, if she undertook a seven-hour bank shift, her take home pay was just £37.

At the meetings this week trust board members will be told of the problems their employees could face because of soaring bills and food prices.

A report said there is a risk of staff being unable to pay for travel to work and that they may not have regular finances to pay for food whilst at work. It also said some may not have adequate personal living standards to maintain their physical and mental health, which would impact on staff performance and absence levels.

Four other measures to help struggling staff have also been recommended.

The hospitals could develop a discreet food bank referral service, enabling workers to secure a food bank referral voucher in working hours (rather than needing to seek referral from a third-party agency).

They could also establish and fund a hardship fund so staff across both trusts can apply for a small cash sum to buy emergency essentials, provide a lift share app so staff can find someone to travel to work with and create dedicated financial wellbeing materials and training.