Nurse Band 6 Salary Calculator
Estimate your potential earnings as an NHS Band 6 Nurse. Factor in your basic salary, High Cost Area Supplement, and unsocial hours enhancement to project your total annual income.
Calculate Your Total Earnings
Enter your basic salary and any supplements below. The calculator will break down your basic pay, HCAS, and unsocial hours enhancement to show your estimated total annual package.
Band 6 Nurse Earnings Solver
Project your annual income based on basic salary and NHS supplements
Band 6 Pay Quick Facts
Essential insights into NHS Band 6 nurse compensation
Understanding Band 6 Pay
A Band 6 Nurse’s total pay is usually made up of several elements defined by the NHS Agenda for Change agreement.
Start With Basic Salary
Your basic pay is set by your pay point within Band 6, which typically increases annually as you gain service in the role.
Add High Cost Area Supplement
If you work in London or the fringe areas, a percentage supplement is added to your basic salary to reflect local living costs.
Include Unsocial Hours Pay
Hours worked evenings, nights, weekends, and bank holidays typically attract an enhancement on top of your basic hourly rate.
Review the Full Package
NHS Pension Scheme membership, annual leave entitlement, and any local allowances all add further value beyond the headline salary.
Pay Elements at a Glance
A summary of the typical elements that make up a Band 6 nurse’s total pay package.
| Pay Element | Typical Range | Applies To |
|---|---|---|
| Band 6 Basic Salary | Progresses through several pay points | All Band 6 staff |
| Inner London HCAS | Around 20% of basic (capped) | Inner London-based roles |
| Outer London HCAS | Around 15% of basic (capped) | Outer London-based roles |
| Fringe HCAS | Around 5% of basic (capped) | Fringe area roles |
| Unsocial Hours Enhancement | Percentage uplift on hourly rate | Evening, night, weekend, bank holiday shifts |
Band 6 Nurse Salary FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about Band 6 nurse pay in the NHS.
Band 6 Nurses in the NHS are paid under the Agenda for Change pay scale, with basic salary typically progressing through several pay points as they gain experience in the role, before any additional supplements or enhancements are added.
High Cost Area Supplement, sometimes called London Weighting, is an additional percentage added to basic salary for NHS staff working in London and the surrounding fringe areas, to reflect the higher cost of living.
Unsocial hours typically include evenings, nights, weekends, and bank holidays. Hours worked during these periods usually attract an enhancement on top of basic pay, at rates set out in the NHS Agenda for Change terms and conditions.
Nurses typically move up through pay points within Band 6 annually, subject to satisfactory performance, until they reach the top of the band. Further progression to Band 7 requires moving into a more senior role.