Civil service pay and pension

Take-home pay at every grade in 96 government departments and agencies, what promotion is worth where you work, how your department compares, and your alpha pension.

Updated for the 2026/27 tax year

Civil service pay calculator

Pick your department and grade, or enter your salary. Adds allowances, overtime, student loans and part time, and shows the value of promotion.

Median EO salary£2,123.14 a month
Work out your pay →

Civil service pension calculator

Your alpha pension and lump sum in today’s money, with classic, premium and nuvos service and the McCloud choice.

alpha builds each year2.32% of your pay
See your pension →

Pay by grade

AA and AO salaryAdministrative grades by departmentExecutive Officer salaryEO pay by departmentHEO salaryHigher Executive Officer paySEO salarySenior Executive Officer payGrade 7 salaryPay by departmentGrade 6 salaryPay by departmentSenior Civil Service salarySCS pay bands 1 to 3

Pay by department

HMRCDWPHome OfficeMoJMoDHMCTSCabinet OfficeDVLAONSDfEFCDOHM TreasuryAll departments

Guides

Civil service pay rise 2026The 3.5% remit explainedFast Stream salaryStarting pay and where it leads

Civil service pay in 2026/27 at a glance

  • Departments can make average pay awards of up to 3.5% for 2026/27.
  • The median civil servant earned £37,820 at 31 March 2026.
  • There is no national pay scale below the Senior Civil Service: each department sets its own.
  • alpha pension contributions are 4.6% to 8.05% of pay.

Frequently asked questions

How much does a civil servant take home a month?

The median civil servant earned £37,820 at 31 March 2026, which is about £2,425 a month after tax, NI and the alpha pension. By grade, the medians were £28,020 for AA and AO, £32,140 for EO, £43,930 for HEO and SEO combined, £65,830 for Grade 7 and 6, and £95,540 in the Senior Civil Service.

Is there a national civil service pay scale?

No, not below the Senior Civil Service. Each department sets its own pay ranges for each grade, within a cap set by the Cabinet Office, and many have separate London and national rates. That is why the same grade can pay several thousand pounds more in one department than another.

What is the civil service pay rise for 2026/27?

The Cabinet Office pay remit lets departments make average awards of up to 3.5% for 2026/27. Each department decides how to share it out, so your own rise may be more or less. The Senior Civil Service got 2.5% plus higher pay band minimums.

How much do civil servants pay into their pension?

Members of alpha pay 4.6% on pensionable pay up to £36,199, 5.45% up to £56,000, 7.35% up to £150,000 and 8.05% above, all on your whole pay. A civil servant on £32,140 pays £123.20 a month, but it only reduces take-home by about £98.56 because it comes off before tax.

Is the civil service pension worth it?

alpha adds 2.32% of your pensionable pay to your pension each year, increased by inflation. On £32,140 that is about £746 a year of pension for life, for a cost of about £1,183 after tax relief. The employer pays far more on top. This is general information, not advice.

What grade is an EO in the civil service?

Executive Officer is the first grade with supervisory or casework responsibility, above Administrative Officer and below Higher Executive Officer. Many operational roles, such as DWP work coaches, are EO.

How much do Senior Civil Servants earn?

From 1 April 2026, Deputy Directors (SCS Pay Band 1) earn £86,000 to £117,800, Directors (Band 2) £105,000 to £162,500 and Directors General (Band 3) £135,000 to £208,100.

What is the Fast Stream starting salary?

£31,554 for those starting in 2026. Fast streamers are told they can expect to earn £45,000 to £55,000 when they finish the scheme.