NHS Pay Rise 2026/27:
Every Band, Every Rate
Simply Explained
- 3.3% pay rise confirmed for all Agenda for Change bands, effective 1 April 2026
- Band 5 nurses now earn £32,073 to £39,043 — up from £31,049 to £37,796
- Band 6 specialists earn £39,959 to £48,117 per year
- Most staff will see the increase in their April or May 2026 payslip
- Scotland received 3.75% under a separate two-year deal; Wales got 3.3% + 1.5%
- Overtime beyond 37.5 hrs is paid at time and a half for Bands 2–7
The 2026/27 Pay Rise at a Glance
NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts received a 3.3% consolidated pay rise from 1 April 2026. It was recommended by the NHS Pay Review Body and accepted by the government on 12 February 2026 — one of the earliest formal confirmations in recent years.
Every pay point across every band goes up by exactly 3.3%. There are no one-off lump sums or partial uplifts this time — it is a clean, permanent increase added directly to your base salary.
For a Band 5 nurse at entry level, the 3.3% rise adds roughly £1,024 per year to gross salary — around £55 extra per month in take-home pay after standard deductions.
All Pay Bands: Entry to Top of Band
Every Agenda for Change band has a defined salary range. You start at the entry pay point and move up one step per year (subject to satisfactory appraisal) until you reach the top. Below is the full picture for 2026/27 in England.
| Band | Entry Salary | Top of Band | Pay Points | Typical Roles |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £25,272 | 1 | Healthcare assistant, domestic staff |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £27,476 | 2 | Senior HCA, clinical support worker |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | £31,157 | 2 | Assistant practitioner, admin lead |
| Band 5 ★ | £32,073 | £39,043 | 3 | Newly qualified nurse, paramedic, AHP |
| Band 6 ★ | £39,959 | £48,117 | 3 | Specialist nurse, senior paramedic, team lead |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £56,515 | 3 | Advanced practitioner, ward manager |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £64,750 | 3 | Senior manager, lead clinician |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £77,368 | 3 | Deputy director, senior consultant |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £91,609 | 3 | Director level, very senior manager |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £108,814 | 3 | Executive, clinical director |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £129,783 | 3 | Chief nursing officer, executive director |
★ Most registered nurses, midwives, and allied health professionals start at Band 5. Gross salaries, England. Based on 37.5-hr working week (1,957.5 hrs/yr). Source: NHS Employers AfC pay circular 2026/27.
Your Hourly Rate by Band
Your annual salary divided by 1,957.5 hours (52 weeks × 37.5 hrs) gives your standard hourly rate. This is the foundation for all your overtime, bank shift, and unsocial hours calculations.
| Band | Entry Hourly | Top of Band Hourly | Overtime Rate (×1.5) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £12.91 | £12.91 | £19.37/hr |
| Band 3 | £13.16 | £14.03 | £19.74–£21.05/hr |
| Band 4 | £14.50 | £15.91 | £21.75–£23.87/hr |
| Band 5 ★ | £16.38 | £19.94 | £24.57–£29.91/hr |
| Band 6 ★ | £20.41 | £24.58 | £30.62–£36.87/hr |
| Band 7 | £25.23 | £28.87 | £37.85–£43.31/hr |
| Bands 8a–9 | £29.39 – £66.30 | No overtime entitlement | |
Overtime rate = base hourly × 1.5. Bands 8a–9 are not entitled to overtime pay under AfC terms. Hourly rate = annual salary ÷ 1,957.5 hrs.
Unsocial Hours & Overtime Explained
NHS pay is not just about your annual salary. Two separate top-up mechanisms can significantly increase what you earn per shift, and many NHS staff confuse them:
- Unsocial hours enhancements — applied when you work evenings, nights, weekends, or bank holidays within your contracted 37.5-hour week. They are calculated as a percentage added on top of your base hourly rate.
- Overtime — applied when you work hours beyond your contracted 37.5 per week. For Bands 2–7, this is paid at 1.5× your base hourly rate.
Both can apply to the same shift. A Saturday night that takes you beyond your weekly contracted hours earns both the 41% (Bands 2–3) or 30% (Bands 4–7) unsocial hours uplift and the 1.5× overtime rate — simultaneously.
What You Actually Take Home
Gross salary is not what hits your bank account. Every NHS employee has three automatic deductions: income tax, National Insurance (NI), and NHS Pension contributions. Understanding each one helps you predict your actual take-home after a pay rise.
NHS Pension Contribution Rates 2026/27
Your pension contribution rate depends on your total pensionable pay. Crucially, when you cross a tier boundary, the new rate applies to your entire salary — not just the extra.
| Annual Pensionable Pay | Your Contribution | Typical Bands |
|---|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% | Part-time Band 2 |
| £13,260 – £28,854 | 6.5% | Band 2–3 |
| £28,855 – £35,155 | 8.3% | Band 4, Band 5 entry |
| £35,156 – £52,778 | 9.8% | Band 5 top, Band 6 |
| £52,779 – £67,668 | 10.7% | Band 7, Band 8a entry |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% | Band 8b and above |
The rate applies to your entire pensionable pay — it is not a marginal rate. Employer contributions are 23.7% on top of your salary (paid by the Trust, not deducted from you).
A Band 5 nurse progressing from entry (£32,073) to the middle pay point (£34,581) stays in the 8.3% tier. But reaching the top of band (£39,043) crosses £35,156, pushing contributions to 9.8% on the whole salary — adding roughly £570/yr in pension deductions. Your gross pay goes up by more than £1,300 but your net gain is lower than it first appears.
England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland
NHS pay is devolved. Each nation negotiates separately, so your award depends on where you work, not just which band you are on.
| Nation | Pay Award | Effective | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| England | +3.3% | 1 April 2026 | Confirmed 12 Feb 2026 — earliest in recent years |
| Wales | +4.8% (est.) | 1 April 2026 | 3.3% AfC award + 1.5% Welsh Government premium. Band 2 also benefits from Living Wage floor |
| Scotland | +3.75% | 1 April 2026 | Part of two-year deal. 36-hr contracted week gives higher effective hourly rate than England |
| N. Ireland | +3.3% | 1 April 2026 | Mirrors England award; payment timing subject to Stormont confirmation |
Scotland's 36-hour working week (vs 37.5 in England) means Scottish staff earn a higher hourly rate on the same annual salary. A Band 5 nurse in Scotland earns £17.02/hr at entry vs £16.38/hr in England.
Know exactly what you're earning from every shift
Overtime Live calculates your NHS shift pay in real time — base rate, unsocial hours enhancements, overtime uplifts, and your running monthly total. Free on iOS and Android.