NHS Band 7 salary 2026/27
NHS Band 7 pays £49,387 to £56,515 a year in England from 1 April 2026, about £2,934 a month after tax, National Insurance and pension at entry and £3,309 at the top. That is £25.26 an hour rising to £28.90. Scotland pays £52,845 at entry on a 36-hour week.
Band 7 pay points and take-home
| England 2026/27 | Salary | Take-home a month | Take-home a week | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £49,387 | £2,934 | £677 | £25.26 |
| After 2 years | £51,932 | £3,078 | £710 | £26.56 |
| After 5 years | £56,515 | £3,309 | £764 | £28.90 |
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 7 salary goes
| Band 7 entry, each year | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £49,387 |
| NHS Pension (9.8%) | £4,840 |
| Income Tax | £6,395 |
| National Insurance | £2,945 |
| Take-home | £35,206 |
Jobs on Band 7
Agenda for Change bands the job, not the profession, so very different roles share the same pay. Typical Band 7 roles include:
- Ward manager or senior sister
- Advanced clinical practitioner (trainee or qualified)
- Clinical nurse specialist
- Specialist pharmacist
- Reporting radiographer or sonographer
- Advanced or first contact physiotherapist
- Theatre team leader
- Clinical psychologist (newly qualified)
The last band with paid overtime, and the start of 40% tax
Band 7 is the highest band paid overtime at time and a half under the national terms. From Band 8a, extra hours are usually taken back as time off instead, which is worth weighing up if you do a lot of extra shifts.
At the top of Band 7, £56,515, a small slice of your pay is taxed at 40%. With inner London weighting, about £8,008 is. The NHS Pension contribution is taken before tax, so it lowers the amount taxed at 40%.
Band 7 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 | £49,387 to £56,515 | £2,934 | £25.26 |
| Scotland | 36 hours | £52,845 to £61,466 | £3,032 | £28.15 |
| Wales | 37.5 hours | £50,129 to £57,365 | £2,974 | £25.64 |
| Northern Ireland | 37.5 hours | £47,810 to £54,710 | £2,843 | £24.45 |
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 7
In England, Band 7 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 7 entry grosses £55,709 and takes home about £3,266 a month. Overtime is paid at time and a half (£37.89 an hour at entry) and double time on bank holidays.
| High Cost Area Supplement | Gross a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Inner London (20%) | £58,133 | £3,379 |
| Outer London (15%) | £55,524 | £3,255 |
| Fringe (5%) | £51,657 | £3,062 |
Part-time Band 7 pay
Pay is pro rata to your contracted hours. On 22.5 hours, Band 7 entry pays £29,632 a year, about £1,907 a month after deductions. On 30 hours, Band 7 entry pays £39,510 a year, about £2,406 a month after deductions. The NHS part-time calculator works it out for any hours.
Band 7 or Band 8a: what the next band is worth
Band 8a starts at £57,528, £1,013 above the top of Band 7. Moving from Band 7 entry to Band 8a entry adds about £419 a month after tax and pension, but from the top of Band 7 it adds only £44 a month at first. The bigger gain is the Band 8a ceiling of £64,750. See NHS Band 8a salary.
Other bands: Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 6, 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 7 NHS salary in 2026/27?
In England, Band 7 pays £49,387 to £56,515 a year full time from 1 April 2026. Scotland pays £52,845 to £61,466.
How much does Band 7 take home a month?
About £2,934 a month at entry in England after Income Tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension, rising to £3,309 at the top of the band. Shift pay and London weighting are extra.
What is the Band 7 hourly rate?
£25.26 an hour at entry in England, based on a 37.5-hour week, and £28.90 at the top.
How long does it take to reach the top of Band 7?
5 years in England, with a step after 2 years on the way. Moving up depends on meeting the normal appraisal standards.
Do Band 7 staff get paid overtime?
Yes. Band 7 is the highest band paid overtime at time and a half, and double time on bank holidays. Bands 8 and 9 usually take time off in lieu instead.