NHS Band 5 salary 2026/27
NHS Band 5 pays £32,073 to £39,043 a year in England from 1 April 2026, about £2,040 a month after tax, National Insurance and pension at entry and £2,381 at the top. That is £16.40 an hour rising to £19.97. Scotland pays £34,544 at entry on a 36-hour week.
Band 5 pay points and take-home
| England 2026/27 | Salary | Take-home a month | Take-home a week | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £32,073 | £2,040 | £471 | £16.40 |
| After 2 years | £34,592 | £2,177 | £502 | £17.69 |
| After 4 years | £39,043 | £2,381 | £549 | £19.97 |
Full time on 37.5 hours, NHS Pension member, tax code 1257L, no student loan, before shift pay. You move up a step after 2 and 4 years in the band, as long as you meet the usual appraisal standards.
Where a Band 5 salary goes
| Band 5 entry, each year | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £32,073 |
| NHS Pension (8.3%) | £2,662 |
| Income Tax | £3,368 |
| National Insurance | £1,560 |
| Take-home | £24,483 |
Jobs on Band 5
Agenda for Change bands the job, not the profession, so very different roles share the same pay. Typical Band 5 roles include:
- Newly qualified nurse (staff nurse)
- Newly qualified midwife
- Newly qualified paramedic
- Physiotherapist, occupational therapist, speech and language therapist
- Radiographer
- Operating department practitioner
- Dietitian
- Biomedical scientist (newly registered)
The graduate entry band, and what is changing
Band 5 is where most newly registered health professionals start. Midwives and paramedics move to Band 6 after their newly qualified period, but nurses and most allied health professionals have to apply for a Band 6 post. In England, every Band 5 nursing role is being reviewed by employers after a February 2026 agreement between the government and the RCN, and graduate starting pay is a priority in pay structure talks. Scotland already runs its own Band 5 nursing review.
The top of Band 5 (£39,043) is only £916 below the start of Band 6. So a Band 5 at the top of the band on a ward rota can take home more than a Band 6 working days only.
Band 5 pay in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
| Nation | Full-time week | Salary range | Take-home a month at entry | Per hour at entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 37.5 hours | £32,073 to £39,043 | £2,040 | £16.40 |
| Scotland | 36 hours | £34,544 to £43,039 | £2,167 | £18.40 |
| Wales | 37.5 hours | £32,557 to £39,631 | £2,067 | £16.65 |
| Northern Ireland | 37.5 hours | £31,049 to £37,796 | £1,980 | £15.88 |
Scotland has its own pay scales and a 36-hour week from April 2026, so its hourly rate is the highest. Northern Ireland figures are 2025/26 rates while its 2026/27 award waits for approval. Scottish take-home uses Scottish Income Tax.
Shifts, London weighting and overtime on Band 5
In England, Band 5 gets time plus 30% for nights (8pm to 6am) and Saturdays, and time plus 60% for Sundays and bank holidays. On a typical ward-style rota of about 8 night or Saturday hours and 4 Sunday hours a week, Band 5 entry grosses £36,178 and takes home about £2,228 a month. Overtime is paid at time and a half (£24.60 an hour at entry) and double time on bank holidays.
| High Cost Area Supplement | Gross a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Inner London (20%) | £38,488 | £2,351 |
| Outer London (15%) | £36,943 | £2,269 |
| Fringe (5%) | £33,677 | £2,128 |
Part-time Band 5 pay
Pay is pro rata to your contracted hours. On 22.5 hours, Band 5 entry pays £19,244 a year, about £1,365 a month after deductions. On 30 hours, Band 5 entry pays £25,658 a year, about £1,722 a month after deductions. The NHS part-time calculator works it out for any hours.
Band 5 or Band 6: what the next band is worth
Band 6 starts at £39,959, £916 above the top of Band 5. Moving from Band 5 entry to Band 6 entry adds about £390 a month after tax and pension, but from the top of Band 5 it adds only £49 a month at first. The bigger gain is the Band 6 ceiling of £48,117. See NHS Band 6 salary.
Other bands: Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 6, Band 7, Band 8a, Band 8b, Band 8c, Band 8d, Band 9. For every band in one calculator, use the NHS pay calculator.
Common questions
What is the Band 5 NHS salary in 2026/27?
In England, Band 5 pays £32,073 to £39,043 a year full time from 1 April 2026. Scotland pays £34,544 to £43,039.
How much does Band 5 take home a month?
About £2,040 a month at entry in England after Income Tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension, rising to £2,381 at the top of the band. Shift pay and London weighting are extra.
What is the Band 5 hourly rate?
£16.40 an hour at entry in England, based on a 37.5-hour week, and £19.97 at the top.
How long does it take to reach the top of Band 5?
4 years in England, with a step after 2 years on the way. Moving up depends on meeting the normal appraisal standards.
Do Band 5 staff automatically move to Band 6?
Midwives and paramedics usually do after their newly qualified period. Nurses and most allied health professionals apply for Band 6 posts, though every Band 5 nursing role in England is being reviewed.