NHS Band 6 salary 2026/27
NHS Band 6 pays £39,959 to £48,117 a year in England from 1 April 2026, about £2,430 a month after tax, National Insurance and pension at entry and £2,866 at the top. That is £20.44 an hour rising to £24.61. Scotland pays £43,231 at entry on a 36-hour week.
Band 6 pay points and take-home
| England 2026/27 | Salary | Take-home a month | Take-home a week | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £39,959 | £2,430 | £561 | £20.44 |
| After 2 years | £42,170 | £2,548 | £588 | £21.57 |
| After 5 years | £48,117 | £2,866 | £661 | £24.61 |
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 5 years in the band, as long as you meet the usual appraisal standards.
Where a Band 6 salary goes
| Band 6 entry, each year | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £39,959 |
| NHS Pension (9.8%) | £3,916 |
| Income Tax | £4,695 |
| National Insurance | £2,191 |
| Take-home | £29,157 |
Jobs on Band 6
Agenda for Change bands the job, not the profession, so very different roles share the same pay. Typical Band 6 roles include:
- Senior staff nurse, charge nurse or sister
- Midwife
- Paramedic
- Specialist physiotherapist, OT or speech therapist
- CT or MRI radiographer
- Newly qualified pharmacist
- Health visitor or district nurse
- Senior ODP
The main band for experienced clinicians
Band 6 is where most midwives and paramedics spend their careers, and the first promotion for nurses and therapists. Pay rises to £42,170 after two years and £48,117 after five. Your NHS Pension contribution also steps up within the band, from 9.8% at entry to 9.8% at the top, which is why take-home rises a little less than salary.
Even at the top of Band 6, all of your pay stays in the basic rate of Income Tax unless you add London weighting or a lot of overtime.
Band 6 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 | £39,959 to £48,117 | £2,430 | £20.44 |
| Scotland | 36 hours | £43,231 to £52,679 | £2,600 | £23.03 |
| Wales | 37.5 hours | £40,559 to £48,841 | £2,462 | £20.74 |
| Northern Ireland | 37.5 hours | £38,682 to £46,580 | £2,356 | £19.78 |
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 6
In England, Band 6 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 6 entry grosses £45,074 and takes home about £2,703 a month. Overtime is paid at time and a half (£30.65 an hour at entry) and double time on bank holidays.
| High Cost Area Supplement | Gross a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Inner London (20%) | £47,951 | £2,857 |
| Outer London (15%) | £45,953 | £2,750 |
| Fringe (5%) | £41,957 | £2,537 |
Part-time Band 6 pay
Pay is pro rata to your contracted hours. On 22.5 hours, Band 6 entry pays £23,975 a year, about £1,628 a month after deductions. On 30 hours, Band 6 entry pays £31,967 a year, about £2,034 a month after deductions. The NHS part-time calculator works it out for any hours.
Band 6 or Band 7: what the next band is worth
Band 7 starts at £49,387, £1,270 above the top of Band 6. Moving from Band 6 entry to Band 7 entry adds about £504 a month after tax and pension, but from the top of Band 6 it adds only £68 a month at first. The bigger gain is the Band 7 ceiling of £56,515. See NHS Band 7 salary.
Other bands: Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, 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 6 NHS salary in 2026/27?
In England, Band 6 pays £39,959 to £48,117 a year full time from 1 April 2026. Scotland pays £43,231 to £52,679.
How much does Band 6 take home a month?
About £2,430 a month at entry in England after Income Tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension, rising to £2,866 at the top of the band. Shift pay and London weighting are extra.
What is the Band 6 hourly rate?
£20.44 an hour at entry in England, based on a 37.5-hour week, and £24.61 at the top.
How long does it take to reach the top of Band 6?
5 years in England, with a step after 2 years on the way. Moving up depends on meeting the normal appraisal standards.
What jobs are Band 6?
Senior staff nurses and charge nurses, most midwives and paramedics, specialist physiotherapists, occupational therapists and radiographers, health visitors and newly qualified pharmacists.