Grade 7 salary 2026/27
Grade 7 pay is high enough to matter for tax, pension and student loan. See the departmental figures and what a rise is really worth to a Grade 7.
The official median for Grade 7 and Grade 6 combined was £65,830 at 31 March 2026. Grade 7 medians by department run from £54,080 to £87,440.
Grade 7 pay in every department
Median full-time salary at 31 March 2026, from Cabinet Office Civil Service Statistics, with what it leaves a month after tax, NI and alpha at 2026/27 rates. 91 departments and agencies have a figure for this grade.
| # | Department | Median | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ofsted | £87,440* | £4,785 |
| 2 | UK Debt Management Office | £84,370* | £4,648 |
| 3 | Ofwat | £81,380* | £4,514 |
| 4 | HMPPS | £77,720* | £4,351 |
| 5 | Disclosure Scotland | £74,820 | £4,221 |
| 6 | Food Standards Scotland | £74,820 | £4,221 |
| 7 | Revenue Scotland | £74,820 | £4,221 |
| 8 | Scottish Public Pensions Agency | £74,820 | £4,221 |
| 9 | Student Awards Agency for Scotland | £74,820 | £4,221 |
| 10 | Education Scotland | £74,430* | £4,204 |
| 11 | Scottish Government | £74,430* | £4,204 |
| 12 | Transport Scotland | £74,430* | £4,204 |
| 13 | Registers of Scotland | £74,230* | £4,195 |
| 14 | Welsh Revenue Authority | £73,060 | £4,143 |
| 15 | NCA | £73,040* | £4,142 |
| 16 | Welsh Government | £72,890* | £4,135 |
| 17 | Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service | £72,820* | £4,132 |
| 18 | Scottish Forestry | £71,370 | £4,067 |
| 19 | IPO | £71,250* | £4,062 |
| 20 | Government Commercial Organisation | £69,210* | £3,971 |
| 21 | Forestry and Land Scotland | £68,720* | £3,949 |
| 22 | Home Office | £68,310* | £3,930 |
| 23 | UKEF | £67,790* | £3,907 |
| 24 | FCDO Services | £67,730* | £3,904 |
| 25 | Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service | £67,100* | £3,876 |
| 26 | National Records of Scotland | £67,100* | £3,876 |
| 27 | Social Security Scotland | £67,100* | £3,876 |
| 28 | Government Actuary's Department | £66,490* | £3,849 |
| 29 | CMA | £65,830* | £3,820 |
| 30 | Office of Rail and Road | £65,780* | £3,817 |
| 31 | HM Land Registry | £65,720* | £3,815 |
| 32 | SPS | £65,280* | £3,795 |
| 33 | MoD | £65,170* | £3,790 |
| 34 | VOA | £64,980* | £3,782 |
| 35 | HMRC | £64,750* | £3,771 |
| 36 | DESNZ | £64,640* | £3,766 |
| 37 | Submarine Delivery Agency | £64,580* | £3,764 |
| 38 | LAA | £64,400* | £3,756 |
| 39 | FCDO | £64,240* | £3,749 |
| 40 | MoJ | £64,230* | £3,748 |
| 41 | Cabinet Office | £63,870* | £3,732 |
| 42 | DfT | £63,540* | £3,717 |
| 43 | GLD | £63,320* | £3,708 |
| 44 | CPS | £63,210* | £3,703 |
| 45 | Attorney General's Office | £63,120* | £3,699 |
| 46 | DBT | £63,110* | £3,698 |
| 47 | UK Hydrographic Office | £63,110* | £3,698 |
| 48 | Government Property Agency | £63,090* | £3,697 |
| 49 | Northern Ireland Office | £63,030* | £3,695 |
| 50 | Crown Commercial Service | £62,950* | £3,691 |
| 51 | DE&S | £62,940* | £3,691 |
| 52 | HSE | £62,930* | £3,690 |
| 53 | Vehicle Certification Agency | £62,670 | £3,679 |
| 54 | Veterinary Medicines Directorate | £62,670* | £3,679 |
| 55 | Acas | £62,580* | £3,675 |
| 56 | DSIT | £62,520* | £3,672 |
| 57 | DVLA | £62,510* | £3,671 |
| 58 | Serious Fraud Office | £62,320* | £3,663 |
| 59 | DHSC | £62,040* | £3,650 |
| 60 | MHCLG | £62,020* | £3,649 |
| 61 | Building Digital UK | £61,850* | £3,642 |
| 62 | Charity Commission | £61,660* | £3,633 |
| 63 | HM Treasury | £61,610* | £3,631 |
| 64 | MHRA | £61,400* | £3,622 |
| 65 | MCA | £61,230* | £3,614 |
| 66 | UK Space Agency | £61,220* | £3,614 |
| 67 | DCMS | £60,800* | £3,595 |
| 68 | FSA | £60,620* | £3,587 |
| 69 | UKHSA | £60,620* | £3,587 |
| 70 | National Savings and Investments | £59,910* | £3,555 |
| 71 | HMCTS | £59,490* | £3,537 |
| 72 | OPG | £59,330* | £3,529 |
| 73 | DVSA | £59,090* | £3,519 |
| 74 | Insolvency Service | £59,050* | £3,517 |
| 75 | DfE | £58,930* | £3,511 |
| 76 | Companies House | £58,650* | £3,499 |
| 77 | ONS | £58,420* | £3,489 |
| 78 | Standards and Testing Agency | £58,300* | £3,483 |
| 79 | Government Internal Audit Agency | £58,290* | £3,483 |
| 80 | APHA | £58,010* | £3,470 |
| 81 | Active Travel England | £57,970* | £3,469 |
| 82 | Defra | £57,950* | £3,468 |
| 83 | DWP | £57,480* | £3,447 |
| 84 | RPA | £56,990* | £3,425 |
| 85 | Planning Inspectorate | £56,510* | £3,403 |
| 86 | Met Office | £56,390* | £3,398 |
| 87 | Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science | £56,350* | £3,396 |
| 88 | Dstl | £55,980* | £3,433 |
| 89 | The National Archives | £55,560* | £3,414 |
| 90 | Ofqual | £55,550* | £3,413 |
| 91 | Ofgem | £54,080* | £3,346 |
A median is the middle salary: half of staff earn more and half less. * Our estimate: the 2026 release combines some grades, so we raise the department’s 2025 figure for this grade by how much its level rose across the civil service. Figures without a star are official 2026 medians. Most departments have paid a 2026/27 award since. Some bodies, such as HMPPS, include allowances and map their own grades to these levels, so compare with care.
What a Grade 7 keeps from a rise
| Gross salary | Alpha rate | Take-home a month | Kept from each extra £1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| £58,000 | 7.35% | £3,470 | – |
| £62,000 | 7.35% | £3,649 | £536 |
| £66,000 | 7.35% | £3,827 | £536 |
| £70,000 | 7.35% | £4,006 | £536 |
| £74,000 | 7.35% | £4,185 | £536 |
The student loan effect
A Grade 7 on £66,000 with a Plan 2 student loan takes home about £3,553 a month, against £3,827 with no loan. The loan repayment is a percentage of income above the plan threshold, so it grows with each promotion.
Grade 7 in practice
Grade 7 is a senior professional and management grade. Grade 7s lead teams, policy areas or specialist work, and often brief ministers and senior leaders directly.
Typical jobs
- Policy lead for an area of government policy, managing a small team.
- Senior economist, statistician, lawyer or digital lead.
- Operational manager responsible for a large site or service.
- Programme or project lead.
Tax and pension
Most Grade 7 salaries are above £56,000, where alpha contributions rise to 7.35%, and many are in the 40% tax band. The calculator shows exactly what a pay rise or allowance leaves you with.
Moving up
The next step is Grade 6, then the Senior Civil Service.
Common questions
How much does a Grade 7 earn?
Department medians run from £54,080 to £87,440 at 31 March 2026, depending on where you work. Grade 7 and Grade 6 combined had a median of £65,830 across the civil service.
Do Grade 7 civil servants pay 40% tax?
Most do on part of their pay, as the higher rate starts at £50,270 of taxable income. Pension contributions come off first, which reduces the amount taxed at 40%.