NHS Band 8a salary 2026/27
NHS Band 8a pays £57,528 to £64,750 a year in England from 1 April 2026, about £3,353 a month after tax, National Insurance and pension at entry and £3,663 at the top. That is £29.42 an hour rising to £33.11. Scotland pays £65,125 at entry on a 36-hour week.
Band 8a pay points and take-home
| England 2026/27 | Salary | Take-home a month | Take-home a week | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £57,528 | £3,353 | £774 | £29.42 |
| After 2 years | £60,417 | £3,477 | £802 | £30.90 |
| After 5 years | £64,750 | £3,663 | £845 | £33.11 |
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 8a salary goes
| Band 8a entry, each year | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £57,528 |
| NHS Pension (10.7%) | £6,155 |
| Income Tax | £7,981 |
| National Insurance | £3,161 |
| Take-home | £40,230 |
Jobs on Band 8a
Agenda for Change bands the job, not the profession, so very different roles share the same pay. Typical Band 8a roles include:
- Matron
- Nurse consultant or consultant AHP
- Advanced or lead pharmacist
- Principal clinical psychologist
- Consultant paramedic
- Service or operational manager
- Theatre manager
No overtime, and part of your pay is taxed at 40%
Band 8a staff are not paid overtime under the national terms; extra hours are usually taken back as time off. Shift enhancements still apply if you work unsocial hours.
Even at entry, about £1,103 of your pay is taxed at 40%, rising to about £7,552 at the top. That is why the jump from Band 7 to Band 8a adds less to take-home than the salary difference suggests. Paying more into your pension through salary sacrifice or additional contributions saves tax at 40%.
Band 8a 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 | £57,528 to £64,750 | £3,353 | £29.42 |
| Scotland | 36 hours | £65,125 to £70,303 | £3,508 | £34.69 |
| Wales | 37.5 hours | £58,379 to £65,723 | £3,389 | £29.86 |
| Northern Ireland | 37.5 hours | £55,690 to £62,682 | £3,257 | £28.48 |
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 8a
In England, Band 8a 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 8a entry grosses £64,892 and takes home about £3,669 a month. Band 8a does not get paid overtime under the national terms: extra hours are usually taken back as time off.
| High Cost Area Supplement | Gross a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Inner London (20%) | £66,274 | £3,728 |
| Outer London (15%) | £63,665 | £3,616 |
| Fringe (5%) | £59,798 | £3,450 |
Part-time Band 8a pay
Pay is pro rata to your contracted hours. On 22.5 hours, Band 8a entry pays £34,517 a year, about £2,173 a month after deductions. On 30 hours, Band 8a entry pays £46,022 a year, about £2,754 a month after deductions. The NHS part-time calculator works it out for any hours.
Band 8a or Band 8b: what the next band is worth
Band 8b starts at £66,582, £1,832 above the top of Band 8a. Moving from Band 8a entry to Band 8b entry adds about £389 a month after tax and pension, but from the top of Band 8a it adds only £79 a month at first. The bigger gain is the Band 8b ceiling of £77,368. See NHS Band 8b salary.
Other bands: Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 6, Band 7, 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 8a NHS salary in 2026/27?
In England, Band 8a pays £57,528 to £64,750 a year full time from 1 April 2026. Scotland pays £65,125 to £70,303.
How much does Band 8a take home a month?
About £3,353 a month at entry in England after Income Tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension, rising to £3,663 at the top of the band. Shift pay and London weighting are extra.
What is the Band 8a hourly rate?
£29.42 an hour at entry in England, based on a 37.5-hour week, and £33.11 at the top.
How long does it take to reach the top of Band 8a?
5 years in England, with a step after 2 years on the way. Moving up depends on meeting the normal appraisal standards.
Do Band 8a staff get overtime?
No. Under the national terms, Bands 8 and 9 do not get paid overtime and usually take time off in lieu instead.