Being a nurse practitioner is one of the most reputable jobs in the UK. However, the average salary of a UK nurse per month is a question most ask. On paper, the average salary of a UK nurse practitioner is £33,000 to £35,000 a year. Therefore, the monthly salary for these nurses is £2.5 monthly.

However, this is simply data. In reality, a nurse’s pay will depend on a few factors:

• Their education qualification.
• What kind of nurse practitioner they are: primary care, neonatal care, surgery nurse.
• The number of experiences one has as a practitioner.
• Whether they are working for private-sector or government-run hospitals.
• They could be working in individual homes as a full-time nurse, and that could affect their salary as well.

According to statistics, since 2017, there has been a rise in the pay for nurse practitioners every year. It began with a rise of 1% in 2017, and recently it increased to 3% in the year 2021. However, this, again, doesn’t solve the confusion of how much one should be getting. This is why the excerpt below will be of great help to ensure you are earning the average salary in the UK.

Education qualification of a nurse

If you are planning to begin your journey as a nurse practitioner, these are the educational qualifications mandatory for joining any public and private sector.

• If you are beginning, you will need at least a three-year nursing degree. Even some internships will look for this criteria, or at least you being a part of a certified college.
• You can take up nursing school and post your college degree for two years if you want a little higher pay as a beginner.
• If you do an NHS nurse diploma, you will be directly providing care to patients. You will not only have the qualification for nurse care but also understand medicine. NHS nurses are the highest paid in the nurse practitioner industry, and one can also hire them as individual full-time home nurses.

Private & public sector comparison

To begin with, you should know that it is easier to negotiate your salary in a private nursing agency than in the government sector.

There are some private hospitals which will not mention the salary one should expect. Which means they keep it open for further discussion. On the other hand, the salary packages can be defined by your experience. The highest-paying nurses in any private sector are NHS nurses because of their qualifications.

However, if you are looking for better job security, and a consistent raise in your pay scale, you should go for government hospitals and institutions as a nurse practitioner. However, you should remember that as a nurse practitioner under the government, you cannot simply walk into your boss’s room and ask for higher pay because you are giving more hard work. Riches rarely come that easy!

Other salary benefits for a nurse practitioner

Along with the average pay, there are other advantages which also come with becoming a nurse practitioner.

• Extra hours will have guaranteed pay, and nurse practitioners have to work night shifts sometimes. This can give you a maximum of 60% extra to your average pay.
• Twenty-seven holidays is a mandatory leave you will be getting as a nurse since you will have more extra days than others.
• The NHS pension scheme is very generous, and the future after retirement is secured.
• Sick months full pay sick leave.
• Nurse practitioners also get generous maternity and paternity leaves.

How to earn extra as a nurse

Like every other pay scale and occupation, even nurse practitioners are looking for ways to increase their pay. In the UK, here is how you can increase your pay as a nurse practitioner.

• Extra shifts are always a great way to increase your income.
• You can work as an individual, signed up to a few agencies and banks. This way, you will get the salary and the work benefits of a few of the agencies.
• Choosing weekends, evenings, and holidays can give you enhanced pays. 

Always check your payslips, and take it up with your HR if you do n particularly understand something.