NHS Band 8c salary 2026/27
NHS Band 8c pays £79,504 to £91,609 a year in England from 1 April 2026, about £4,226 a month after tax, National Insurance and pension at entry and £4,735 at the top. That is £40.66 an hour rising to £46.85. Scotland pays £90,808 at entry on a 36-hour week.
Band 8c pay points and take-home
| England 2026/27 | Salary | Take-home a month | Take-home a week | Per hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £79,504 | £4,226 | £975 | £40.66 |
| After 2 years | £84,346 | £4,429 | £1,022 | £43.14 |
| After 5 years | £91,609 | £4,735 | £1,093 | £46.85 |
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 8c salary goes
| Band 8c entry, each year | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £79,504 |
| NHS Pension (12.5%) | £9,938 |
| Income Tax | £15,258 |
| National Insurance | £3,601 |
| Take-home | £50,707 |
Jobs on Band 8c
Agenda for Change bands the job, not the profession, so very different roles share the same pay. Typical Band 8c roles include:
- Head of a large department, such as HR or finance
- Consultant clinical scientist
- Consultant clinical psychologist
- Consultant paramedic (often 8a to 8c)
- Deputy director in a trust
- Chief pharmacist in a smaller trust
What a Band 8c pay rise is worth
The whole of Band 8c pays the top NHS Pension rate (12.5%) and every extra pound is taxed at 40% with 2% NI. That leaves about 51p of each pound of a rise or step: the £4,842 step to the intermediate point adds about £204 a month, and the £7,263 step to the top about £306. At entry £19,296 of your pay is taxed at 40%; at the top it is £29,888.
Because the NHS Pension comes off before tax, every £1 you put in through additional contributions or salary sacrifice costs you about 60p after tax relief. At this band that is often the most tax-efficient way to use a pay rise.
Re-earnable pay at the top of the band
Under the 2018 pay framework, part of the top point at bands 8c, 8d and 9 (up to 10%) can be re-earnable, meaning you keep it only if you meet set performance standards each year. Employers decide how to apply this, so if you are near the top of the band, check your contract for any re-earnable element.
Band 8c 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 | £79,504 to £91,609 | £4,226 | £40.66 |
| Scotland | 36 hours | £90,808 to £97,338 | £4,504 | £48.38 |
| Wales | 37.5 hours | £80,698 to £92,984 | £4,276 | £41.27 |
| Northern Ireland | 37.5 hours | £76,965 to £88,682 | £4,111 | £39.36 |
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 8c
In England, Band 8c 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 8c entry grosses £89,681 and takes home about £4,654 a month. Band 8c 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%) | £88,250 | £4,594 |
| Outer London (15%) | £85,641 | £4,484 |
| Fringe (5%) | £81,774 | £4,321 |
Part-time Band 8c pay
Pay is pro rata to your contracted hours. On 22.5 hours, Band 8c entry pays £47,702 a year, about £2,844 a month after deductions. On 30 hours, Band 8c entry pays £63,603 a year, about £3,614 a month after deductions. The NHS part-time calculator works it out for any hours.
Band 8c or Band 8d: what the next band is worth
Band 8d starts at £94,356, £2,747 above the top of Band 8c. Moving from Band 8c entry to Band 8d entry adds about £625 a month after tax and pension, but from the top of Band 8c it adds only £116 a month at first. The bigger gain is the Band 8d ceiling of £108,814. See NHS Band 8d salary.
Other bands: Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 6, Band 7, Band 8a, Band 8b, Band 8d, Band 9. For every band in one calculator, use the NHS pay calculator.
Common questions
What is the Band 8c NHS salary in 2026/27?
In England, Band 8c pays £79,504 to £91,609 a year full time from 1 April 2026. Scotland pays £90,808 to £97,338.
How much does Band 8c take home a month?
About £4,226 a month at entry in England after Income Tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension, rising to £4,735 at the top of the band. Shift pay and London weighting are extra.
What is the Band 8c hourly rate?
£40.66 an hour at entry in England, based on a 37.5-hour week, and £46.85 at the top.
How long does it take to reach the top of Band 8c?
5 years in England, with a step after 2 years on the way. Moving up depends on meeting the normal appraisal standards.
Do Band 8c 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.
What is re-earnable pay on Band 8c?
The 2018 pay framework says bands 8c, 8d and 9 can have part of the top point, up to 10%, re-earned each year by meeting performance standards. How, and whether, it is used depends on your employer, so check your contract.