NHS pay calculator 2026/27
Work out your take-home pay on Agenda for Change in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland. Add London weighting, unsocial hours, on-call, overtime, salary sacrifice, a lease car and more, and compare your pay with another band.
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NHS Pension
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More optionsSalary sacrifice, lease car, band change, mileage
London weighting, unsocial hours, on-call and part-time extra hours count towards your pension tier. Overtime for full-time staff does not.
See take-home for every pay period
- Annually
- £24,482.51
- Monthly
- £2,040.21
- 4-weekly
- £1,883.27
- Fortnightly
- £941.64
- Weekly
- £470.82
- Daily (5-day week)
- £94.16
Your pay steps in Band 5
Take-home a month at each step, with everything you entered above.
| Step | Salary | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | £32,073 | £2,040.21 |
| Intermediate | £34,592 | £2,177.41 |
| Top | £39,043 | £2,380.80 |
| Band 6 entry | £39,959 | £2,429.77 |
Buying a home? See how much you could borrow on this pay with the mortgage affordability calculator.
Compare with another NHS job
Every band at a glance (England, full time)
| Step | Salary | Hourly | Pension | Monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | ||||
| Single rate | £25,272 | £12.92 | 6.5% | £1,700.11 |
| Band 3 | ||||
| Entry | £25,760 | £13.17 | 6.5% | £1,727.27 |
| Top | £27,476 | £14.05 | 6.5% | £1,822.80 |
| Band 4 | ||||
| Entry | £28,392 | £14.52 | 6.5% | £1,873.79 |
| Top | £31,157 | £15.93 | 8.3% | £1,990.32 |
| Band 5 | ||||
| Entry | £32,073 | £16.40 | 8.3% | £2,040.21 |
| Intermediate | £34,592 | £17.69 | 8.3% | £2,177.41 |
| Top | £39,043 | £19.97 | 9.8% | £2,380.80 |
| Band 6 | ||||
| Entry | £39,959 | £20.44 | 9.8% | £2,429.77 |
| Intermediate | £42,170 | £21.57 | 9.8% | £2,547.99 |
| Top | £48,117 | £24.61 | 9.8% | £2,865.96 |
| Band 7 | ||||
| Entry | £49,387 | £25.26 | 9.8% | £2,933.86 |
| Intermediate | £51,932 | £26.56 | 9.8% | £3,078.24 |
| Top | £56,515 | £28.90 | 10.7% | £3,308.99 |
| Band 8a | ||||
| Entry | £57,528 | £29.42 | 10.7% | £3,352.53 |
| Intermediate | £60,417 | £30.90 | 10.7% | £3,476.71 |
| Top | £64,750 | £33.11 | 10.7% | £3,662.95 |
| Band 8b | ||||
| Entry | £66,582 | £34.05 | 10.7% | £3,741.70 |
| Intermediate | £70,896 | £36.26 | 12.5% | £3,863.32 |
| Top | £77,368 | £39.57 | 12.5% | £4,135.69 |
| Band 8c | ||||
| Entry | £79,504 | £40.66 | 12.5% | £4,225.58 |
| Intermediate | £84,346 | £43.14 | 12.5% | £4,429.34 |
| Top | £91,609 | £46.85 | 12.5% | £4,735.00 |
| Band 8d | ||||
| Entry | £94,356 | £48.26 | 12.5% | £4,850.60 |
| Intermediate | £100,140 | £51.21 | 12.5% | £5,094.01 |
| Top | £108,814 | £55.65 | 12.5% | £5,459.04 |
| Band 9 | ||||
| Entry | £112,782 | £57.68 | 12.5% | £5,626.03 |
| Intermediate | £119,583 | £61.16 | 12.5% | £5,835.00 |
| Top | £129,783 | £66.37 | 12.5% | £6,115.48 |
Full time (37.5 hours), England, tax code 1257L, NHS Pension member, no student loan. Basic pay only.
How NHS take-home pay is worked out
The calculator at the top uses the official 2026/27 scales for England, Wales and Scotland, and the rates Northern Ireland staff are being paid now. The table above is England, full time, basic pay only.
Three things come off your salary. Your NHS Pension contribution comes out first, before tax, which is why it costs you less than the percentage suggests. Income Tax is then charged on what is left above the £12,570 personal allowance. National Insurance is charged on your full salary, because the NHS Pension is a net pay arrangement and only saves you tax, not NI.
Take a Band 5 nurse on the entry step. Their salary is £32,073, which puts them in the 8.3% pension tier, so £2,662.06 a year goes into the NHS Pension. Income Tax is £3,368.19 and National Insurance is £1,560.24. That leaves £24,482.51 a year, or £2,040.21 a month.
NHS hourly rates 2026/27, with nights, weekends and overtime
Your hourly rate is your yearly salary divided by 37.5 hours and 52.143 weeks. Unsocial hours are paid as a percentage on top: weekday nights (8pm to 6am) and all of Saturday at one rate, Sundays and public holidays at a higher one. Bands 2 and 3 get bigger percentages than everyone else. Overtime is time and a half, or double time on public holidays, for Bands 2 to 7.
| Band and step | Basic | Night or Saturday | Sunday or bank holiday | Overtime |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £12.92 | £18.22 | £23.64 | £19.38 |
| Band 3 entry | £13.17 | £17.78 | £22.26 | £19.76 |
| Band 3 top | £14.05 | £18.97 | £23.74 | £21.08 |
| Band 4 entry | £14.52 | £18.88 | £23.23 | £21.78 |
| Band 4 top | £15.93 | £20.71 | £25.49 | £23.90 |
| Band 5 entry | £16.40 | £21.32 | £26.24 | £24.60 |
| Band 5 intermediate | £17.69 | £23.00 | £28.30 | £26.54 |
| Band 5 top | £19.97 | £25.96 | £31.95 | £29.96 |
| Band 6 entry | £20.44 | £26.57 | £32.70 | £30.66 |
| Band 6 intermediate | £21.57 | £28.04 | £34.51 | £32.36 |
| Band 6 top | £24.61 | £31.99 | £39.38 | £36.92 |
| Band 7 entry | £25.26 | £32.84 | £40.42 | £37.89 |
| Band 7 intermediate | £26.56 | £34.53 | £42.50 | £39.84 |
| Band 7 top | £28.90 | £37.57 | £46.24 | £43.35 |
Band 2 and 3 enhancements are time plus 41% and 83%, and time plus 35% and 69%. Bands 4 and above get time plus 30% and 60%. You’re paid either the unsocial hours rate or overtime for the same hour, not both. All bands and steps, including Bands 8 and 9, are in our guide to NHS hourly rates.
Night shift pay at Band 5
A Band 5 on the entry step working an 8pm to 8am weekday night has 10 hours in the night window and 2 plain hours (before any unpaid break). That’s £196.80 basic plus £49.20 for the night hours, £246.00 for the shift. Four of those a month adds about £197 to your pay before tax. Try your own rota in the unsocial hours calculator, or read how NHS night shift pay works.
How long it takes to reach the top of your band
You move up a step after a set number of years, as long as you meet your employer’s pay step requirements, usually an up-to-date appraisal and mandatory training. Part-time staff move up at the same speed as full-time staff.
| Band | Steps | Years to top | Entry | Top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | 1 | Single rate | £25,272 | £25,272 |
| Band 3 | 2 | 2 years | £25,760 | £27,476 |
| Band 4 | 2 | 3 years | £28,392 | £31,157 |
| Band 5 | 3 | 4 years | £32,073 | £39,043 |
| Band 6 | 3 | 5 years | £39,959 | £48,117 |
| Band 7 | 3 | 5 years | £49,387 | £56,515 |
| Band 8a | 3 | 5 years | £57,528 | £64,750 |
| Band 8b | 3 | 5 years | £66,582 | £77,368 |
| Band 8c | 3 | 5 years | £79,504 | £91,609 |
| Band 8d | 3 | 5 years | £94,356 | £108,814 |
| Band 9 | 3 | 5 years | £112,782 | £129,783 |
So the top of Band 4, £31,157 or £15.93 an hour, comes after 3 years. Band 5 takes 4 years to the top, and Bands 6 to 9 take 5. Our guide to NHS pay progression shows what each step adds to your take-home pay.
NHS Pension contribution tiers 2026/27
| Actual yearly pensionable pay | You pay |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,260 to £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,855 to £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,156 to £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,779 to £67,668 | 10.7% |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% |
The tiers work differently from tax bands. Your whole pay is charged at one rate, so crossing into a new tier raises the rate on every pound, not just the pounds above the line. Someone on £35,155 pays 8.3%. Earn £1 more and the whole lot is charged at 9.8%, which cuts take-home pay by about £421 a year.
It is based on your actual pay, not the full-time rate. A part-time Band 6 on 22.5 hours earns 60% of £48,117, and pays the tier rate for that lower amount. Unsocial hours and overtime usually count too, so a year of extra shifts can lift you into the next tier.
What is not included
- Unsocial hours. Nights, weekends and bank holidays are paid at time plus 30% to 83%, depending on your band and when you work.
- London and the South East. High Cost Area Supplements add 5% to 20% of basic pay, within a minimum and maximum.
- Student loans. Many nurses and allied health staff repay Plan 2 or Plan 5. Add yours in the take-home pay calculator.
To see what your pension will pay when you retire, use the NHS Pension calculator.
More NHS pay guides
- NHS pay rise 2026/27, band by band
- NHS Wales pay, NHS Scotland pay and HSC Northern Ireland pay
- Part-time pay, unsocial hours and salary sacrifice
- Uniform tax relief and NHS staff benefits and discounts
- NHS hourly rates, night shift pay, overtime and bank shifts, pay progression and is the NHS Pension worth it?
Common questions
How much is the NHS pay rise for 2026/27?
Agenda for Change staff in England got 3.3% on every pay point from 1 April 2026. The award was announced on 12 February 2026.
What does a Band 5 nurse take home in 2026/27?
A full-time Band 5 on the entry step of £32,073 takes home about £2,040 a month after Income Tax, National Insurance and the 8.3% NHS Pension contribution, before any unsocial hours pay or student loan.
How much do I pay into the NHS Pension?
Between 5.2% and 12.5% of your pensionable pay, depending on which tier your actual yearly pay falls in. The whole of your pay is charged at that one rate, and it comes out before Income Tax.
Is NHS pay different in Wales and Scotland?
Yes. Wales pays slightly more than England at every point in 2026/27, for example £32,557 at Band 5 entry. Scotland gave 3.75% from 1 April 2026, starts Band 5 at £34,544 and moved to a 36-hour full-time week. Scotland also has its own pension tiers and Income Tax bands. Choose your nation in the calculator to see your figures.
Does the calculator cover Northern Ireland?
Yes. It uses the 2025/26 rates that HSC staff are still being paid, because the 3.3% recommended for 2026/27 had not been approved by the Executive when we last checked, and the HSC Pension Service contribution rates from 1 April 2026.
How is NHS overtime paid?
At time and a half, or double time on public holidays, for staff in Bands 2 to 7. Bands 8 and 9 have no national right to overtime pay. Part-time staff are paid plain time for extra hours up to 37.5 a week, and those hours count for the pension.
What is the on-call availability payment?
Under Annex 29 it is a percentage of basic pay set by how often you are on call: 9.5% for 1 in 3 or more often, down to 1% for 1 in 13 to 1 in 15. Call-outs are paid on top at overtime rates.
What is the Band 2 hourly rate?
£12.92 an hour basic in England from April 2026, based on a 37.5-hour week. Nights and Saturdays pay £18.22 an hour and Sundays and bank holidays £23.64.
What is the Band 3 hourly rate?
£13.17 an hour on the entry step and £14.05 at the top in England from April 2026. Nights and Saturdays pay time plus 35% and Sundays and bank holidays time plus 69%.
How much is a Band 5 night shift?
On the entry step, £16.40 an hour basic and £21.32 an hour for hours between 8pm and 6am on weekdays. A 12-hour night from 8pm to 8am pays about £246 before tax, of which about £49 is the night enhancement.
Is unsocial hours pay included?
No. The figures are basic pay only. Unsocial hours enhancements, overtime, on-call and High Cost Area Supplements are paid on top, and most of them are also pensionable.
Is London weighting (HCAS) pensionable?
Yes. High cost area supplements count as pensionable pay and are taxed as normal. A Band 5 on the entry step in inner London takes home about £2,351 a month, against £2,040 elsewhere in England.
How long does it take to reach the top of my band?
Most bands have two or three steps. You move up after a set number of years if you meet the pay progression standards. On Band 5 that is two years to the intermediate step and four years to the top.
Can a pay rise leave me worse off?
Not overall, but crossing into a higher pension tier can swallow most of a small rise, because the higher rate applies to all of your pay. The calculator shows when you are close to a tier boundary.