Two NHS trusts give 34,000 staff early access to pay

Two NHS trusts give 34,000 staff early access to pay

Camden and Islington NHS Foundation Trust and Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust are giving their 34,000 employees early access to their pay due to the current financial constraints of the Covid-19 (Coronavirus) pandemic.

Employees can access their pay through the Instantpay payment app, as and when they earn it, and until August 2020 service providers Allocate and Wagestream are waiving the £1.75 transaction fee.

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust, and Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust, are already using the pay-as-you-earn service.

Helen Hempstock, head of operational HR at Lincolnshire Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We can see that Instantpay is going to be a key part of many employers’ toolkits in the future. Giving staff access to their pay when they need it felt like a big step when we first started looking at it but it’s not that revolutionary, and yet, it can make such a difference to the anxiety levels of those facing financial challenges.

“We anticipate seeing a significant uptake in this programme from our staff and look forward to actively promoting how this could support the wellbeing of the people that we work with. It’s also expected to have a direct impact on staff retention levels and the success of our recruitment in the future.”