What are the NHS Band salaries for 2026/27?

NHS Band salaries for 2026/27 effective from 1 April 2026 set the lowest pay at Band 2 at GBP 25,272 a year rising to the top of Band 9 at GBP 129,783 a year. The 2026/27 Agenda for Change agreement applied a 3.3% pay increase across all bands with full back-pay to 1 April 2026 (Source: NHS Employers PCS(AFC)2026/1 pay circular). The top three most-searched bands are 5, 6, and 7 — covering staff nurses, specialist nurses, and ward managers respectively.

What is NHS Band 5 pay in 2026/27?

NHS Band 5 salaries for 2026/27 run from GBP 32,073 to GBP 39,043 per year over three pay points. Band 5 is the starting band for newly qualified nurses, allied health professionals, and paramedics. After tax, National Insurance, and the 8.3% NHS pension contribution, take-home pay at the entry point runs roughly GBP 2,150 per month, rising to roughly GBP 2,381 at the top of the band.

What is NHS Band 6 pay in 2026/27?

NHS Band 6 salaries for 2026/27 run from GBP 39,959 to GBP 48,117 per year over three pay points. Band 6 covers senior nurses, specialist practitioners, and operating department practitioners. After deductions, take-home pay runs roughly GBP 2,430 to GBP 2,850 per month depending on the pay point.

What is NHS Band 7 pay in 2026/27?

NHS Band 7 salaries for 2026/27 run from GBP 49,387 to GBP 56,515 per year over three pay points. Band 7 covers advanced nurse practitioners, ward sisters, and team managers. Take-home pay runs roughly GBP 2,934 to GBP 3,257 per month depending on the pay point and pension tier.

When does the 2026/27 NHS pay award take effect?

The 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay award took effect 1 April 2026 with arrears back-paid to that date. NHS staff received the increase in their May 2026 pay packet for most trusts, with some larger trusts paying the increase through local payroll schedules. The award was negotiated by the NHS Staff Council for England, with parallel agreements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.

Do NHS salaries differ between England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland?

Cash-equivalent base pay is identical across the four UK nations in 2026/27 (all applied the same 3.3% increase and base rates). Scotland applies a small uplift multiplier of 1.00432 on top of England rates and uses a 36-hour working week rather than 37.5, which gives Scottish NHS staff a higher effective hourly rate. Wales and Northern Ireland also adopt the same headline base rates as England for the most part.

Will NHS pay rise further in 2027?

The NHS Staff Council enters into a new multi-year pay award cycle following the 2026/27 implementation. The Treasury's Spending Review process sets the limits for future NHS pay awards. Public sector pay policy from 2026-2029 is expected to deliver 2.5% to 4% annual increases, but specific NHS announcements follow the Staff Council recommendations after independent pay body review.

NHS Band Salaries 2026/27: Complete Pay Scale

NHS Band salaries for 2026/27 took effect on 1 April 2026 (Source: NHS Employers PCS(AFC)2026/1 pay circular). The Agenda for Change framework covers all non-medical NHS staff in England, with parallel agreements in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The 2026/27 pay award delivered a 3.3% increase across all bands, backdated to 1 April 2026.

The Agenda for Change framework covers nurses, allied health professionals, healthcare scientists, administrative staff, support staff, and many other NHS roles. Doctors and dentists are paid on separate medical pay scales (the junior doctor and consultant contracts).

Data last verified September 2026 from NHS Employers PCS(AFC)2026/1 pay circular, effective 1 April 2026, and the NHS Staff Council pay award announcement.

At a glance
NHS Band salaries for 2026/27 range from GBP 25,272 (Band 2) to GBP 129,783 (Band 9 top).
3.3% increase applied across all bands, backdated to 1 April 2026.
Bands 5, 6, and 7 are the most-searched, covering nurses and ward managers.
Scottish, Welsh, and Northern Irish NHS staff receive identical base rates on the headline scale.

Complete NHS Band pay scale 2026/27 (England)

The table below shows the 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay scale for England, including each Band's entry point, top of band, and approximate monthly take-home pay after tax, National Insurance, and pension.

Band	Entry salary (GBP)	Top of band (GBP)	Approx monthly take-home at entry	Approx monthly take-home at top
Band 2	25,272	25,272	~1,810	~1,810
Band 3	25,760	27,476	~1,839	~1,933
Band 4	28,392	31,157	~1,997	~2,150
Band 5	32,073	39,043	~2,218	~2,627
Band 6	39,959	48,117	~2,691	~3,131
Band 7	49,387	56,515	~3,257	~3,628
Band 8a	57,528	64,750	~3,660	~4,033
Band 8b	66,582	77,368	~4,098	~4,652
Band 8c	79,504	91,609	~4,759	~5,353
Band 8d	94,356	108,814	~5,479	~6,179
Band 9	112,782	129,783	~6,118	~6,856

How pension contributions affect take-home pay

NHS pension contributions are deducted from gross salary at rates depending on the 1995/2008/2015 NHS Pension Scheme tier and pensionable pay level. The 2015 scheme is the default for new joiners. Employee contribution rates for the 2015 scheme run from 5.6% for entry pay to 9.3% at higher pay levels. Combined with marginal-rate Income Tax and National Insurance, the take-home pay figures above are realistic estimates for tax year 2026/27.

High-cost area supplements and London weighting

NHS staff working in London and surrounding high-cost areas receive additional supplements. Inner London pays GBP 5,169 to GBP 7,415 per year (5% to 20% of basic salary depending on Band). Outer London pays GBP 4,318 to GBP 5,826 per year. Fringe zones pay GBP 999 to GBP 2,103 per year. These supplements are paid on top of the Agenda for Change base rates.

Frequently asked questions

(See FAQs above for the questions and answers.)

Methodology

Salary figures drawn from the NHS Employers PCS(AFC)2026/1 pay circular effective 1 April 2026. Take-home pay estimates apply standard 2026/27 England Income Tax and National Insurance bands plus the NHS Pension Scheme employee contribution tiers. Currency is GBP throughout.

Verify current postings on NHS Jobs, individual trust career portals, and the NHS Employers pay circular portal. Agenda for Change rates update annually through the NHS Staff Council process.

Most-searched band-specific pay questions across NHS employers fall into a clear pattern. Band 5 take-home pay after tax, NI, and pension typically runs GBP 2,150 to GBP 2,380 per month depending on point and London weighting. Band 6 take-home pay runs GBP 2,430 to GBP 2,850 per month. Band 7 take-home pay runs GBP 2,930 to GBP 3,260 per month. These figures assume the standard NHS Pension Scheme contribution rate of 5.6% to 9.3% depending on pensionable pay level under the 2015 scheme. Pay scales update annually through the NHS Staff Council process; the most recent 2026/27 Award applies a 3.3% increase across all bands backdated to 1 April 2026.

The Agenda for Change framework covers approximately 1.2 million NHS staff in England, with similar populations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland through parallel agreements. Scotland applies the same headline base rates as England, Wales, and Northern Ireland but compounds up by adding a small uplift multiplier and using a 36-hour standard working week, giving Scottish NHS staff an effectively higher hourly rate. Wales and Northern Ireland tend to follow the English agreements within one or two pay cycles, occasionally applying differentiated rates that mirror local political decision-making. The NHS Pension Scheme provides a defined-benefit retirement income stream indexed to CPI plus 1.5% per year, which represents a significant additional value on top of gross pay for NHS staff.

Career progression within Agenda for Change typically requires evidence of continuing professional development, formal qualifications (degree, master's, PhD), and broadening scope of responsibility. NHS Trusts and Boards run structured development programmes to support staff transitioning between bands and into specialist or advanced practice roles. The most-searched band progressions in 2026 remain Band 5 to Band 6 (nurse and allied health specialisation), Band 6 to Band 7 (advanced practice, senior management), and Band 7 to Band 8a (consultant, operational or departmental leadership). Higher-band roles attract employer pension contributions at higher tiers and can include additional allowances for emergency duties, recruitment premia, and on-call commitments.