Prospect Subscriptions October 2024

Prospect membership subscriptions contribute  towards making work better for all of members and wider society. They directly fund collective representation, collective campaigning and, where necessary, personal advice and advocacy.

We know your subscriptions must represent value for money, and remain affordable , especially with the cost-of-living crisis of recent years. 

However, we must also ensure we are fully equipped to promote your interests and protect your rights at work. 

Therefore, we are applying a small increase to sustain our finances and ensure we remain a credible force on behalf of members.  

This year, subscription rates will increase by 2.3%, which amounts to less than 45 pence per month for most members. 

How did we get to that figure?

Our National Conference sets the rules for subscription rates. At our 2022 National Conference, delegates overwhelmingly voted in favour of subscription rates increasing in the range of 1-3% each year, based on the April CPI figure for inflation in each year.  

In non-conference years, our governing committee – the National Executive Committee (NEC) –  approves the increases. 

The April CPI inflation figure this year was 2.3%. Therefore, the NEC decided on the 2.3% increase to our banded rates, retired members’ rate and the cap on subs rates in the energy sector.

The NEC is composed of and elected by Prospect members , and they understand the cost pressures that many members are facing. 

We also have our own costs at Prospect and many of our suppliers are still raising their rates by more than the CPI inflation figure. This means we must remain prudent and it is my role with the NEC to ensure our expenditure gives  members value for money – we only raise rates when absolutely necessary. 

Subscriptions increases take effect on 1 October each year. 

What is the wider context?

We have a new government who have made positive promises on workers’ and trade union rights. We must work together to ensure that these promises are turned into action, and we must be ready to take advantage as and when that happens. 

This is an extremely important time for trade unions – we need to increase our membership, particularly in the private sector, and we need all our members on board to help us collectively speak truth to power. 

I’m proud to say we have a brilliant team of Prospect staff who work every day to support you and your representatives. From our team in the Member Contact Centre who took 33,000 of your calls last year to our organising and negotiations teams who work on the ground to organise branches and advocate for your interests in the workplace. 

They are supported by our elected representatives who are our bedrock, that we train and develop to be your first point of call locally. 

Perhaps most importantly, members as individuals need to have the confidence that we will be there for them should they need personal advice or support.  

We seek to make working lives of members better through collective influence, but we never lose sight of the fact that often we make the most difference when we handle a case or provide a piece of guidance that resolves a matter. 

As we look ahead to the future of the world of work, I am confident that we are in the best position to tackle the challenges facing us head on and achieve positive change for our members.   

If you would like to get more involved in shaping our union, find out how you can become a Prospect workplace representative and help get our voice heard on a local and national level. 

Get in touch

Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any queries or adjustments to make to your membership.

• [email protected]
• 0300 600 1878