NHS Salary & Take-Home Calculator (2026/27)

To calculate your NHS pay in England, match your Agenda for Change (AfC) pay band (Bands 2 to 9) and experience step (entry, intermediate, or top) to determine your gross basic salary. Then deduct PAYE Income Tax (20% above £12,570, 40% above £50,270), employee Class 1 National Insurance (8% between £12,570 and £50,270, plus 2% above), and your tiered NHS pension contribution (5.2% to 12.5% deducted via net pay arrangement). Use our calculator above to model your exact net take-home pay.

Confirmed full-time (37.5h/week) Agenda for Change basic pay points in England for 2026/27 are: Band 2 (£25,272); Band 3 (£25,760 to £27,476); Band 4 (£28,392 to £31,157); Band 5 (£32,073 to £39,043); Band 6 (£39,959 to £48,117); Band 7 (£49,387 to £56,515); Band 8a (£57,528 to £64,750); Band 8b (£66,582 to £77,368); Band 8c (£79,504 to £91,609); Band 8d (£94,356 to £108,814); and Band 9 (£112,782 to £129,783).

The 2026 NHS pay scales reflect a 3.3% pay uplift effective from 1 April 2026 across all Agenda for Change grades in England. This establishes a statutory minimum NHS basic salary of £25,272 for Band 2, £32,073 for entry-level registered nurses and allied health professionals on Band 5, and £48,117 at the top of Band 6.

NHS staff are paid monthly via BACS, typically on the 26th, 27th, or 28th of each month (or the preceding working day if falling on a weekend or bank holiday). Your gross annual basic salary is divided by 12, after which one-twelfth of your annual Income Tax, National Insurance, pension contribution, student loan repayments, and any monthly enhancements (overtime or unsocial hours) are calculated.

In England, Band 5 basic pay spans three distinct points: £32,073.00 entry level (<2 years experience), £34,592.00 intermediate step (2–4 years), and £39,043.00 top of band (5+ years). On entry basic pay without pension deductions, you take home £26,612.16 per year (£2,217.68 per month), paying £3,900.60 in Income Tax and £1,560.24 in National Insurance.

Newly qualified staff nurses enter the NHS on Band 5 at £32,073 gross basic pay per year (£2,672.75 monthly gross). After standard PAYE tax and National Insurance, a nurse with zero pension deduction takes home £2,217.68 monthly. After enrolling in the mandatory NHS Pension scheme (~7.7% contribution tier), net take-home is £2,053.05 per month. Extra pay is earned through night shifts, weekends, and bank nursing.

In 2026/27, Band 6 basic pay ranges from £39,959 (entry) to £48,117 (top), whereas Band 7 ranges from £49,387 (entry) to £56,515 (top). Comparing entry points, moving from Band 6 (£39,959) to Band 7 (£49,387) provides a gross increase of £9,428.00 per year, which translates to a net take-home increase of £6,788.16 annually (£565.68 per month) after 20% basic tax and 8% NI.

Band 8c is significantly higher than Band 8a. Band 8a basic pay is £57,528 to £64,750, while Band 8c is £79,504 to £91,609. Band 8a is indeed a senior clinical or managerial position, typically held by Modern Matrons, Principal Clinical Psychologists, Advanced Pharmacists, or Service Managers leading clinical departments.

Under Agenda for Change progression agreements, moving from entry to the intermediate step takes 2 years, and reaching the top step takes a further 3 years. Therefore, staff with satisfactory annual appraisals reach the top of Band 6 (£48,117) or Band 7 (£56,515) in exactly 5 years.

Yes. NHS staff working in and around London receive a statutory High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) on top of their basic salary: Inner London pays an additional 20% of basic salary (minimum £5,405, maximum £8,255); Outer London pays an extra 15% (minimum £4,350, maximum £5,550); and the London Fringe pays an extra 5% (minimum £1,230, maximum £2,130).

In Inner London, an entry-level Band 5 staff nurse earning £32,073 basic pay receives the 20% HCAS supplement capped at £6,414.60, generating £38,487.60 gross annual pay. After Income Tax (£5,183.52) and National Insurance (£2,073.41), net take-home is £31,230.67 per year (£2,602.56 monthly) before pension deductions.

NHS Scotland operates separate, devolved Agenda for Change pay scales negotiated between Scottish trade unions and the Scottish Government. While NHS Scotland historically matches or exceeds English pay uplifts, Scottish taxpayers also pay devolved income tax rates (including 19% Starter, 21% Intermediate, 42% Higher, and 45% Advanced rates).

Under Section 3 of the NHS Terms and Conditions handbook, full-time staff in Bands 1 to 7 who work beyond their standard 37.5 hours per week receive overtime paid at time-and-a-half (1.5× their basic hourly rate). For work on general public holidays, overtime is paid at double time (2.0× hourly rate). Staff in Bands 8 and 9 are generally not eligible for overtime payments.

Yes. Working on Christmas Day, Boxing Day, or any official public holiday attracts Section 2 unsocial hours enhancements. For Band 5 staff and above, work on public holidays is paid at time-plus-60% (or double time if working overtime), while Bands 1 to 4 receive double time (time-plus-100%). You also receive paid time off in lieu (TOIL) for working a scheduled public holiday.

All full-time NHS staff receive generous statutory annual leave that increases with continuous service: on appointment, you receive 27 days plus 8 bank holidays (35 days total); after 5 years of service, leave increases to 29 days plus 8 bank holidays (37 days); and after 10 years of service, it reaches 33 days plus 8 bank holidays (41 days total).

Generally no. Agenda for Change pay points are strictly standardized across NHS trusts. New employees almost universally commence on the entry point of their band. However, trusts have discretion under Section 12 to appoint candidates with equivalent previous non-NHS experience above the minimum point, provided it is justified by comparable clinical expertise.

Band 9 is the highest Agenda for Change pay band, paying £112,782 (entry) to £129,783 (top basic). Band 9 roles include Directors of Nursing, Chief Pharmacists, Corporate Directors, and Executive Clinical Leads. Medical consultants on separate consultant contracts can earn higher salaries through Clinical Excellence Awards and private practice.

Yes. A national re-banding review has been transitioning clinical support staff (such as Healthcare Assistants and Maternity Support Workers) from Band 2 to Band 3 to reflect expanded clinical duties (taking bloods, recording ECGs, and monitoring vital signs). Band 3 pays £25,760 to £27,476, providing a permanent uplift over Band 2 (£25,272).

Future NHS pay awards from 1 April 2027 will be recommended by the independent NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB) based on inflation, recruitment and retention metrics, and departmental funding allocations, followed by official government acceptance.

No. Doctors and dentists are not on Agenda for Change contracts. Junior doctors, specialty doctors, and consultants have distinct national terms and conditions of service, pay scales, and pay progression mechanisms separate from nursing and allied health professions.