Recommendation 31

Greensill Capital’s approach coincided with NHS trusts’ own research into salary advance scheme providers in the context of staff financial wellbeing and employee benefits. NHS trust working papers also showed that employers considered the service could provide additional benefits, including reductions in agency bills, increased take up of additional shifts, and improved recruitment and retention. We asked NHS SBS, in its role as service provider to many NHS trusts, whether there was evidence that salary advance schemes had helped with retention or helped increase recruitment and lower agency bills. NHS SBS told us that it was too early to tell as the first pilot started in July 2020 but that the demand which started back in 2017 had continued with requests from 29 C&AG’s Report, para 22, Appendix 3; Woolard Review; 30 Q 160; C&AG’s Report, para 3.25 31 C&AG’s Report, Appendix 3, paras 4–5 The pharmacy early payment and salary advance schemes in the NHS 17 NHS trusts. NHS SBS told us that it had identified 60 NHS organisations using financial wellbeing schemes. The Committee questioned why there was a difference between what civil servants and NHS staff can access when it comes to salary advance schemes.32