Following productive discussions between Boots and the PDA Union negotiating teams, both parties are pleased to announce that an agreement has been reached in relation to this year’s pay claim, effective 1 November 2025.
The agreement consists of the following changes to pay and benefits:
1. All eligible Pharmacists* within the bargaining unit will receive a 4% pay award, which recognises the unique role of the Pharmacists within the community pharmacy sector and the business
2. To continue to recognise the long-term commitment to Boots, to patients and communities, we will increase the minimum salary to £55,650 FTE per annum for all qualified Pharmacists in the bargaining unit with over 10 years’ service at Boots. Therefore, any eligible Pharmacists** who remain below this threshold after the above 4% increase has been applied will have a further increase to bring them up to this minimum, also effective 1 November 2025.
3. To recognise the unique role of Pharmacist Store Managers at Boots and to support those pursuing broader leadership career pathways, all substantively appointed and rated-as-performing Pharmacist Store Managers will receive a minimum annual salary (FTE) per annum based on store size:
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- Small stores: £57,200
- Medium stores: £60,000
- Large stores: £65,000
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Therefore, any eligible Pharmacist Store Managers** who remain below this threshold after the 4% increase has been applied will have a further increase to bring them up to this minimum, also effective 1 November 2025.
4. To recognise the important role that Designated Prescribing Practitioners (DPPs) play in supporting future Independent Prescribers, an honorarium of £300 non-consolidated payment will be paid for each IP learner supervised. Eligible DPPs supervising IP Learners to become Independent Prescribers will be paid after the sign off has been completed. This payment is separate to our current honorarium paid for supervision of our Trainee Pharmacists.
5. In recognition of the evolving role of Independent Prescribers and the future direction of the profession, a unified pay scale will be introduced to encompass both Pharmacists and Independent Prescribing Pharmacists. As part of this framework, a minimum salary of £46,240 FTE per annum has been agreed for practicing Independent Prescribers. Therefore, any eligible Independent Prescribers** who remain below this threshold after the 4% increase has been applied will have a further increase to bring them up to this minimum, also effective 1 November 2025.
6. To recognise our one-year qualified Pharmacists, we will increase the minimum salary to £43,520 FTE per annum. Therefore, any eligible Pharmacists who remain below this threshold after the 4% increase has been applied will have a further increase to bring them up to this minimum, also effective 1 November 2025.
7. In addition, to recognise the commitment and flexibility of Pharmacists, it has been agreed that the current Short Notice Payments provision and eligibility will continue and will increase from £100 to £120 based on the current principles. An agreement was also made to implement a six-month trial in Region 1 to test and review an alternative set of principles following feedback from our pharmacists.
8. To support our Relief Pharmacists, we will create a set of principles around ‘reasonable travel’ to support consistency across the business.
The settlement highlights the critical role that Pharmacists at Boots play in providing accessible healthcare to the community. Their contributions are deeply appreciated by both Boots and the PDA Union who have a joint commitment to collaborating to ensure a rewarding future for all Pharmacists at Boots.
Both negotiation teams thank Pharmacists for their continued commitment to looking after patients and communities.
NOTES
* As with previous years, Pharmacists and Pharmacist Store Managers are eligible for the negotiated rates if they are qualified members of the bargaining unit, who are employed on 1 November 2025 and who are not in their notice period. They will be ineligible for the negotiated pay award if they:
- have joined or had a pay increase on or since 1 August 2025;
- were rated as not performing at EOY 2025;
- are a Trainee Pharmacist.
** Eligibility for the minimum pay levels (items 2,3,5 and 6 above)
- FTE is based on 40 Hours per week
- Eligible Pharmacists for item 2 above are those who have completed 10 years’ continuous service at Boots on or before 31 October 2025. Those reaching 10 years’ continuous service on or after 1 November 2025, and remain below the minimum at that point, will have their pay adjusted accordingly in the month following the achievement of their service milestone, effective from 1st of the month after the service milestone was reached
- Eligible Pharmacist Store Managers who are performing and substantively appointed to a Pharmacist Store Manager role on or after 1 November 2025 will have their pay adjusted as appropriate as at the date of their appointment. The usual application, selection and performance processes will continue to apply.
- To be considered eligible, an Independent Prescriber must meet all regulatory and professional criteria required to practise as an Independent Prescriber, as outlined in the ‘Practising IP’ guidance.
- Eligible Pharmacists for item 6 above are those who have completed 1-year continuous service as a registered Pharmacist at Boots.
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