Paramedic salary 2026/27
Paramedic pay depends on two things: the band, and whether you are paid hourly or by percentage for unsocial hours. Here is how each works out.
From Band 5 to Band 6 to Band 7
| Band and step | Salary | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|
| Band 5, entry | £32,073 | £2,040 |
| Band 5, intermediate | £34,592 | £2,177 |
| Band 5, top | £39,043 | £2,381 |
| Band 6, entry | £39,959 | £2,430 |
| Band 6, intermediate | £42,170 | £2,548 |
| Band 6, top | £48,117 | £2,866 |
| Band 7, entry | £49,387 | £2,934 |
| Band 7, intermediate | £51,932 | £3,078 |
| Band 7, top | £56,515 | £3,309 |
Full time, England, NHS Pension member, tax code 1257L, without unsocial hours. Newly qualified paramedics start at Band 5 and move to Band 6 after up to 24 months of extra support.
Hourly pay or a percentage supplement
How ambulance staff are paid for nights and weekends depends on when they joined. In England, anyone who started in an ambulance trust after 1 September 2018 is paid hourly under Section 2, like the rest of the NHS. Longer-serving English staff who stayed on Annex 5, and ambulance staff in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, get a flat percentage of basic pay, up to 25%.
| Band 6 entry | Take-home a month |
|---|---|
| Basic pay only | £2,430 |
| With a 15% supplement | £2,750 |
| With a 25% supplement | £2,964 |
A 25% supplement adds about £534 a month after deductions. See the ambulance technician page for worked rota examples.
Where a Band 6 paramedic salary goes
| Each year | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | £39,959 |
| NHS Pension contribution | £3,916 |
| Income tax and National Insurance | £6,886 |
| Take-home pay | £29,157 |
The pension contribution is not lost. It builds a defined benefit pension that pays out in retirement, and the employer pays in far more than you do. A percentage supplement under Annex 5 counts as pensionable pay, which also raises the pension contribution.
What a paramedic does
Paramedics are the senior clinicians on an ambulance. They assess and treat people in emergencies, decide whether patients need hospital and increasingly treat people at home or refer them elsewhere.
The job
- Responding to 999 calls, from cardiac arrests and trauma to falls and breathing problems.
- Giving drugs, managing airways and treating injuries.
- Choosing the right route: hospital, a GP, a specialist service or treatment at home.
- Leading the crew and working with police, fire and hospital teams.
Qualifying
You register with the Health and Care Professions Council. Most qualify through a paramedic science degree, and some ambulance trusts offer degree apprenticeships.
Moving up
From Band 6 you can become a specialist or advanced paramedic, a team leader, or work in urgent care and GP surgeries, often at Band 7.
Common questions
How much does a paramedic earn?
A newly qualified paramedic is on Band 5 from £32,073. Band 6 starts at £39,959, about £2,430 a month after deductions, before unsocial hours.
Do paramedics get a percentage for unsocial hours?
Only some. Staff who joined an English ambulance trust after 1 September 2018 are paid hourly under Section 2. Longer-serving English staff on Annex 5 and staff in the other nations get a flat percentage, up to 25%.
When does a paramedic move to Band 6?
After up to 24 months of extra support at Band 5, they move up to Band 6.