NHS staff pursued by bailiffs over pay errors

Published: 17 February 2026. The English Chronicle Desk. The English Chronicle Online

Thousands of NHS staff have been referred to debt collectors over payroll errors, a BBC investigation has revealed, highlighting a troubling trend that has left many workers stressed, upset, and in some cases in financial difficulty. Data obtained through Freedom of Information requests shows that referrals to bailiffs to recover overpaid wages increased from 1,807 in 2020–21 to 2,683 in 2024–25, raising serious concerns about how administrative mistakes are handled and the human impact on affected employees.

Many staff told the BBC that receiving letters from debt collectors or court summonses caused immense distress. One NHS worker, Dr Tom Horne, described his experience as deeply upsetting. The 42-year-old father of two from Nottingham said he only became aware of an overpayment when a court summons arrived at his door. “They’re not thinking about the human being on the end of that debt collection letter… trying to pay their bills, live their life and pay the mortgage,” he said.

Dr Horne worked at Sherwood Forest NHS Trust, which runs King’s Mill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield, and explained that his pay had been inconsistent during his tenure. “By the time I left [the] trust, they’d repeatedly underpaid me. They then paid me a big chunk at once — I assumed it was correct. Honestly, at that point I had no way of knowing,” he added. Six months after leaving the trust, he received a debt collection letter with a county court date, leaving him shocked and anxious. “It was scary at first, trying to work out what was going on,” he said.

NHS England acknowledged the distress caused by these cases and said it had “immediately established a payroll improvement programme after hearing about these awful cases and the distress caused.” The statement emphasized that the organisation is working to prevent similar incidents in the future and to ensure staff are treated fairly and with dignity when errors occur.

The BBC investigation indicates that administrative errors are not uncommon and can lead to life-altering consequences for NHS staff, including financial strain, emotional stress, and disruption to daily life. Staff members affected by these mistakes report frustration with the lack of timely communication and the aggressive use of debt collection measures, even when the errors were entirely the fault of the payroll system.

Experts say that the cases highlight the need for better oversight and accountability in large public sector organisations. Debt recovery should be approached with caution, especially when mistakes are made by employers rather than employees. Advocacy groups and union representatives have called for more robust safeguards and human-centered procedures to prevent undue harm to workers who have dedicated their careers to public service.

In addition to the emotional toll, NHS staff have reported financial difficulties arising from such pay disputes. Dr Horne, for example, faced the added burden of trying to meet mortgage payments while dealing with unexpected claims for repayment of alleged overpayments. “It’s not just about money — it’s about stress, family life, and feeling like you’re being punished for something you had no control over,” he said.

While the NHS payroll system has been under scrutiny for several years, the increase in bailiff referrals underscores the urgency of reform. The payroll improvement programme initiated by NHS England aims to ensure accurate processing of salaries, timely correction of mistakes, and more compassionate handling of overpayment disputes. This includes providing clearer communication with staff, avoiding aggressive debt collection where possible, and ensuring legal safeguards are applied fairly.

The investigation has prompted calls for a wider review of payroll practices across the NHS. Staff unions argue that employees should never face court proceedings for administrative errors they did not cause. Some have suggested that alternative dispute resolution mechanisms, such as mediation or internal review panels, could prevent unnecessary escalation to bailiff action or legal enforcement.

NHS employees continue to advocate for change, highlighting the human cost of bureaucratic mistakes. Stories like Dr Horne’s reflect the real-life consequences of errors in a system designed to support, rather than penalize, public sector workers. Staff hope that heightened awareness from the BBC investigation and public scrutiny will drive meaningful reforms, ensuring that such situations do not happen again.

The rise in referrals to bailiffs also raises questions about accountability within trusts, the effectiveness of current payroll oversight, and the need for greater transparency in how overpayment cases are managed. The NHS faces a critical opportunity to modernize its payroll systems and processes to protect employees from undue stress, prevent financial harm, and restore confidence in the organisation’s human resources procedures.

As the NHS continues to implement improvements, staff and unions remain vigilant, emphasizing that proper safeguards must be permanent rather than temporary. The ultimate goal, according to advocates, is a payroll system that is accurate, fair, and sensitive to the welfare of the people who serve the nation in its hospitals and clinics.

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