NHS Pay Bands Calculator
Find your NHS salary in seconds. Select your pay band and step to see the 2026/27 Agenda for Change rate, broken down into annual, monthly, weekly and hourly pay.
Find Your NHS Salary
Select your pay band and step below. The calculator applies the 2026/27 Agenda for Change rate for England and breaks it down across different pay periods.
Agenda for Change Solver
Look up your annual, monthly and hourly NHS pay
NHS Pay Quick Facts
Essential insights into Agenda for Change pay
Understanding Agenda for Change
Agenda for Change is the national pay system covering most NHS staff apart from doctors, dentists, and very senior managers. Here’s how it works.
Your Role Is Matched to a Band
Every NHS job is evaluated against a national job matching profile and placed into one of nine pay bands, reflecting the skills, responsibility, and knowledge the role requires.
You Start on the Entry Pay Point
Most staff join their band at the entry (or nearest applicable) pay point, unless previous relevant experience allows for a higher starting point.
You Progress Through Pay Points
After a set number of years in the band (typically 2 to 5, depending on the band), and subject to satisfactory performance, staff move up to the next pay point automatically.
National Pay Awards Uplift the Whole Scale
Each year, the government responds to the NHS Pay Review Body’s recommendations with a national pay award, which increases every pay point across all bands.
NHS Pay Bands 2026/27 (England)
Basic annual salary at each Agenda for Change pay point, effective from 1 April 2026.
| Band | Entry | Mid Point | Top of Band |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1* | £25,272 | — | — |
| Band 2 | £25,272 | — | — |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | — | £27,476 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | — | £31,157 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £34,592 | £39,043 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £42,170 | £48,117 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £51,932 | £56,515 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £60,417 | £64,750 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £70,896 | £77,368 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £84,346 | £91,609 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £100,140 | £108,814 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £119,583 | £129,783 |
NHS Pay Bands FAQ
Answers to the most frequently asked questions about NHS Agenda for Change pay for 2026/27.
NHS pay bands are part of the Agenda for Change pay structure used across most of the NHS in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Each band, from Band 1 to Band 9, covers a range of roles and has set pay points that staff progress through with experience.
For 2026/27, a Band 5 nurse in England starts on £32,073 a year, rising to £34,592 after around two years, and up to £39,043 at the top of the band. Actual take-home pay also depends on any Higher Cost Area Supplement.
NHS staff on Agenda for Change terms in England received a 3.3% consolidated pay award for 2026/27, in line with the NHS Pay Review Body’s recommendation, backdated to 1 April 2026.
No. The published Agenda for Change pay band figures are basic salary before any Higher Cost Area Supplement (HCAS), sometimes called London weighting, which adds extra pay for staff working in and around London depending on the specific zone.
Staff move up pay points within their band after a set number of years, subject to satisfactory performance, rather than through automatic annual increments alone. Once at the top of a band, further pay rises come from national Agenda for Change uplifts or moving to a higher band.