NHS Employers · Agenda for Change · England, from 1 April 2026
NHS pay bands 2026/27
What every Agenda for Change band and pay step pays in England after the 3.3% award, with take-home pay and London pay. Band 2 starts at £25,272; the top of Band 9 is £129,783.
Band 5 entry
£32,073
Where most newly qualified nurses start
Band 6 top
£48,117
After five years on the band
Band 7 top
£56,515
Outside the London high cost areas
Agenda for Change pay scales, 2026/27
Gross annual salary at each pay step in England from 1 April 2026, with the hourly rate. Staff become eligible for the next step after the years shown, subject to a pay progression review.
| Band | Entry | Intermediate | Top | Years to next step | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | – | £25,272 | 2 | £12.92 |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | – | £27,476 | 2 | £13.17 – £14.05 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | – | £31,157 | 3 | £14.52 – £15.93 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £34,592 | £39,043 | 2 + 2 | £16.40 – £19.97 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £42,170 | £48,117 | 2 + 3 | £20.44 – £24.61 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £51,932 | £56,515 | 2 + 3 | £25.26 – £28.90 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £60,417 | £64,750 | 2 + 3 | £29.42 – £33.11 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £70,896 | £77,368 | 2 + 3 | £34.05 – £39.57 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £84,346 | £91,609 | 2 + 3 | £40.66 – £46.85 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £100,140 | £108,814 | 2 + 3 | £48.26 – £55.65 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £119,583 | £129,783 | 2 + 3 | £57.68 – £66.37 |
Band 1 (£25,272) closed to new entrants in December 2018.
Take-home pay on each step
Monthly pay after Income Tax and National Insurance in 2026/27 (England rates, no student loan), outside the London high cost areas. NHS Pension Scheme contributions, which most staff pay, reduce these figures further: use the take-home pay calculator with your own contribution rate.
| Band | Entry | Intermediate | Top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £1,810 /month | – | £1,810 /month |
| Band 3 | £1,839 /month | – | £1,942 /month |
| Band 4 | £1,997 /month | – | £2,163 /month |
| Band 5 | £2,218 /month | £2,369 /month | £2,636 /month |
| Band 6 | £2,691 /month | £2,824 /month | £3,180 /month |
| Band 7 | £3,257 /month | £3,390 /month | £3,611 /month |
| Band 8a | £3,660 /month | £3,800 /month | £4,009 /month |
| Band 8b | £4,098 /month | £4,306 /month | £4,619 /month |
| Band 8c | £4,722 /month | £4,957 /month | £5,308 /month |
| Band 8d | £5,440 /month | £5,718 /month | £5,992 /month |
| Band 9 | £6,118 /month | £6,333 /month | £6,714 /month |
London pay: high cost area supplements
Staff working in and around London get a supplement on top of basic pay: a percentage with a minimum and a maximum. The table shows annual pay including it, as published by NHS Employers.
Inner London
20%
of basic pay, minimum £5,794, maximum £8,746 a year
Outer London
15%
of basic pay, minimum £4,870, maximum £6,137 a year
Fringe
5%
of basic pay, minimum £1,346, maximum £2,270 a year
| Band and step | Basic | Fringe | Outer London | Inner London |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £26,618 | £30,142 | £31,066 |
| Band 3 entry | £25,760 | £27,106 | £30,630 | £31,554 |
| Band 3 top | £27,476 | £28,850 | £32,346 | £33,270 |
| Band 4 entry | £28,392 | £29,812 | £33,262 | £34,186 |
| Band 4 top | £31,157 | £32,715 | £36,027 | £37,389 |
| Band 5 entry | £32,073 | £33,677 | £36,943 | £38,488 |
| Band 5 intermediate | £34,592 | £36,322 | £39,781 | £41,511 |
| Band 5 top | £39,043 | £40,996 | £44,900 | £46,852 |
| Band 6 entry | £39,959 | £41,957 | £45,953 | £47,951 |
| Band 6 intermediate | £42,170 | £44,279 | £48,307 | £50,604 |
| Band 6 top | £48,117 | £50,387 | £54,254 | £56,863 |
| Band 7 entry | £49,387 | £51,657 | £55,524 | £58,133 |
| Band 7 intermediate | £51,932 | £54,202 | £58,069 | £60,678 |
| Band 7 top | £56,515 | £58,785 | £62,652 | £65,261 |
| Band 8a entry | £57,528 | £59,798 | £63,665 | £66,274 |
| Band 8a intermediate | £60,417 | £62,687 | £66,554 | £69,163 |
| Band 8a top | £64,750 | £67,020 | £70,887 | £73,496 |
| Band 8b entry | £66,582 | £68,852 | £72,719 | £75,328 |
| Band 8b intermediate | £70,896 | £73,166 | £77,033 | £79,642 |
| Band 8b top | £77,368 | £79,638 | £83,505 | £86,114 |
| Band 8c entry | £79,504 | £81,774 | £85,641 | £88,250 |
| Band 8c intermediate | £84,346 | £86,616 | £90,483 | £93,092 |
| Band 8c top | £91,609 | £93,879 | £97,746 | £100,355 |
| Band 8d entry | £94,356 | £96,626 | £100,493 | £103,102 |
| Band 8d intermediate | £100,140 | £102,410 | £106,277 | £108,886 |
| Band 8d top | £108,814 | £111,084 | £114,951 | £117,560 |
| Band 9 entry | £112,782 | £115,052 | £118,919 | £121,528 |
| Band 9 intermediate | £119,583 | £121,853 | £125,720 | £128,329 |
| Band 9 top | £129,783 | £132,053 | £135,920 | £138,529 |
Which employers and sites count as inner London, outer London or fringe is set out in Annex 8 of the NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook.
Which jobs are on which band?
Examples given by NHS Health Careers. A job's band is set by evaluating the role, so the same title can sit on different bands in different trusts.
- Band 2
- Domestic support worker, housekeeping assistant, driver, domestic team leader, security officer, secretary/typist and healthcare assistant.
- Band 3
- Emergency care assistant and occupational therapy support worker.
- Band 4
- Assistant practitioner, audio visual technician, pharmacy technician, dental nurse and trainee psychological wellbeing practitioner.
- Band 5
- Many newly qualified clinical professionals, such as nurses, operating department practitioners, podiatrists and therapeutic radiographers, and ICT test analysts.
- Band 6
- School nurse, experienced paramedic, estates officer, health records manager and clinical psychology trainee.
- Band 7
- Communications manager, estates manager, high intensity therapist and advanced speech and language therapist.
- Band 8a
- Consultant prosthetist/orthotist, dental laboratory manager, project and programme management, modern matron (nursing) and nurse consultant (mental health nursing).
- Band 8b
- Strategic management, head of education and training, clinical physiology service manager and head orthoptist.
- Band 8c
- Head of human resources, consultant clinical scientist and consultant paramedic.
- Band 9
- Podiatric consultant (surgery), chief finance manager and director of estates and facilities.
What NHS professions are actually paid
The scale says what a step pays; ONS measures what people in these occupations earn across the UK, NHS and private employers together, including overtime and shift pay. Median gross annual pay, full-time (2026 provisional):
- Paramedics£52,875
- Medical radiographers£49,713
- Midwifery nurses£47,552
- Physiotherapists£46,303
- Nursing Professionals£44,928
- Occupational therapists£43,823
- Nursing auxiliaries and assistants£30,383
Pay by region, percentiles and take-home pay are on the salary pages for nurses, midwives, paramedics, radiographers, physiotherapists and healthcare assistants.
NHS pay band FAQs
What band is a newly qualified nurse in the NHS?
Newly qualified nurses normally start on Band 5, as do many other newly qualified clinical professionals such as operating department practitioners, podiatrists and therapeutic radiographers. In England that is £32,073 a year from 1 April 2026, or £38,488 in inner London with the high cost area supplement.
How much is Band 5 in 2026/27?
Band 5 has three pay steps: £32,073 on entry, £34,592 after two years and £39,043 after two more, subject to pay progression reviews. Take-home pay on entry is about £2,218 a month before pension contributions.
How much is Band 6 and Band 7?
Band 6 runs from £39,959 to £48,117 and Band 7 from £49,387 to £56,515 in 2026/27, outside the London high cost areas.
What was the NHS pay rise for 2026/27?
Staff on Agenda for Change terms received a 3.3% consolidated uplift on every pay point, announced on 12 February 2026 and paid from April 2026 salaries. NHS Employers also said further pay-structure changes, backdated to 1 April 2026, could follow if agreed through the NHS Staff Council.
How much is London weighting in the NHS?
It is called the high cost area supplement (HCAS): 20% of basic pay in inner London (at least £5,794, at most £8,746), 15% in outer London (£4,870 to £6,137) and 5% in the fringe (£1,346 to £2,270).
When do NHS staff move up a pay step?
Each band has an entry step and one or two higher steps. Staff become eligible for the next step after the number of years shown in the table (two years on most entry steps, three on Band 4 and on the intermediate steps of Bands 6 to 9), subject to a pay progression review.
How is the NHS hourly rate worked out?
The hourly rates are the annual salary divided by a standard 37.5-hour week over the year. Band 5 entry is £16.40 an hour.
Is Band 1 still used?
Band 1 closed to new entrants on 1 December 2018. Staff still on it are paid £25,272, the same as Band 2.
Do these pay bands apply in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
No. These are the England rates. NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland use the same band structure but set their own pay points.
Source: Pay scales for 2026/27, NHS Employers, published 12 February 2026, effective 1 April 2026; role examples from NHS Health Careers. Take-home figures use this site's 2026/27 calculator. ONS medians: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2026 provisional.