NMC approves first increase

The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) has agreed its first increase in registration fees in 11 years, warning that a decade‑long freeze has left the regulator facing significant financial pressures.

At its meeting on 28 April, the Council approved a £23 annual rise in the main registration fee, taking it from £120 to £143 from 1 October, subject to Parliamentary approval. The NMC said the change is necessary to restore financial sustainability after years of absorbing inflation without adjusting fees.

According to the regulator, the real‑terms value of the fee has fallen by 28.8% since the last increase, resulting in a £186m loss of income up to March 2026. To maintain services, the NMC has been drawing on its reserves, which have dropped from £101m in March 2024 to £49.6m today. Without action, reserves were projected to fall to £15.9m by March 2027.

Council members acknowledged the financial pressures facing nurses, midwives and nursing associates, and noted that most respondents to the NMC’s consultation opposed an increase. However, they also highlighted the growing demands on the regulator, which now oversees 867,935 professionals — around one in 50 working‑age people in the UK — and is handling 21% more Fitness to Practise referrals than in 2015.

The NMC said the additional income will support improvements across its core regulatory functions, including:

• Better education quality assurance
• Stronger and clearer professional standards
• Faster, fairer Fitness to Practise processes
• Embedding equity, diversity and inclusion
• Modern digital services

Council Chair Ron Barclay‑Smith said the decision was not taken lightly but was essential to maintain a “strong, independent regulator” capable of protecting the public. Chief Executive and Registrar Paul Rees MBE added that the NMC would be accountable for demonstrating the impact of every pound spent.

If the fee had risen in line with inflation since 2015, it would now stand at around £168.

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