The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) is preparing to consult on its first proposed registration fee increase in ten years, Nursing in Practice reports.
At a meeting next week, the NMC’s governing council will decide whether to launch a public consultation on raising fees for nurses, midwives, and nursing associates. If approved, the consultation will open later this fall.
The registration fee has remained unchanged since 2015, resulting in what the NMC describes as a 28% real-terms reduction in income and around £180 million in lost revenue by the end of this financial year. The regulator says it is now drawing on reserves to fund day-to-day operations.
Since 2015, the NMC’s register has grown by 24%—from 686,811 professionals to 853,707. Chief Executive and Registrar Paul Rees said an increase is needed to ensure the organization remains financially sustainable.
“For the first time in a decade, we are proposing to increase the registration fee,” Rees said. “If the consultation goes ahead, we’ll be encouraging nurses, midwives, nursing associates, students, and the public to share their views.”
Rees added that additional income would support the NMC’s transformation work, including improvements to fitness to practise processes, education and standards, and its efforts to build an anti-racist organization.
He noted that while the NMC continues to manage costs carefully, keeping the fee frozen for a decade is “no longer sustainable.”
The announcement comes a week after the regulator confirmed plans to cut nearly 150 jobs as part of broader cost-saving measures.
The NMC’s proposal follows a similar move by the General Pharmaceutical Council, which increased its annual registration fee by 6% earlier this year. It also comes as the NMC continues to respond to a 2023 independent review that identified systemic bullying, racism, and poor decision-making within the organization.
