NHS Take Home Pay Calculator 2026/27
Find out your actual monthly salary after tax, NI and pension — for every band.
Find your monthly NHS pay after tax, National Insurance and pension — for every Agenda for Change band, in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Updated 6 October 2026. Uses the 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay scales, HMRC tax and National Insurance rates, NHSBSA, SPPA and HSC pension tiers, and 2026/27 student loan thresholds.
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NHS take-home pay 2026/27 at a glance
A full-time Band 5 nurse starting on £32,073 in England takes home about £2,040 a month in 2026/27. That’s £633 less than the £2,673 gross monthly salary, after £281 income tax, £130 National Insurance and a £222 NHS pension contribution.
Monthly take-home pay by band (England, 2026/27)
| Band | Pay point | Yearly salary | Monthly gross | Monthly take-home | With Plan 2 student loan |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | Single point | £25,272 | £2,106 | £1,700 | £1,700 |
| Band 3 | Entry | £25,760 | £2,147 | £1,727 | £1,727 |
| Band 3 | Top | £27,476 | £2,290 | £1,823 | £1,823 |
| Band 4 | Entry | £28,392 | £2,366 | £1,874 | £1,874 |
| Band 4 | Top | £31,157 | £2,596 | £1,990 | £1,977 |
| Band 5 | Entry | £32,073 | £2,673 | £2,040 | £2,020 |
| Band 5 | Middle | £34,592 | £2,883 | £2,177 | £2,138 |
| Band 5 | Top | £39,043 | £3,254 | £2,381 | £2,309 |
| Band 6 | Entry | £39,959 | £3,330 | £2,430 | £2,351 |
| Band 6 | Top | £48,117 | £4,010 | £2,866 | £2,726 |
| Band 7 | Entry | £49,387 | £4,116 | £2,934 | £2,784 |
| Band 7 | Top | £56,515 | £4,710 | £3,309 | £3,106 |
| Band 8a | Entry | £57,528 | £4,794 | £3,353 | £3,142 |
| Band 8a | Top | £64,750 | £5,396 | £3,663 | £3,398 |
| Band 8b | Entry | £66,582 | £5,549 | £3,742 | £3,464 |
| Band 8b | Top | £77,368 | £6,447 | £4,136 | £3,777 |
| Band 8c | Entry | £79,504 | £6,625 | £4,226 | £3,851 |
| Band 8c | Top | £91,609 | £7,634 | £4,735 | £4,269 |
| Band 8d | Entry | £94,356 | £7,863 | £4,851 | £4,364 |
| Band 8d | Top | £108,814 | £9,068 | £5,459 | £4,864 |
| Band 9 | Entry | £112,782 | £9,399 | £5,626 | £5,001 |
| Band 9 | Top | £129,783 | £10,815 | £6,116 | £5,364 |
Assumes full-time (37.5 hours), tax code 1257L, NHS pension, no HCAS or enhancements. For a deeper look at one band, open its page: Band 2, Band 3, Band 4, Band 5, Band 6, Band 7, Band 8a, Band 8b, Band 8c, Band 8d, Band 9.
How to use the NHS take-home pay calculator
- Choose your nation. Pay scales, Scottish income tax and pension tables all change with it.
- Pick your band and pay point. The salary fills in. Edit it if you’re on protected or local pay.
- Enter your contracted hours. Full-time is 37.5. Part-time pay is worked out pro rata.
- Add London weighting if you work in Inner, Outer or Fringe London.
- Add unsocial hours and overtime. The calculator uses the right enhancement rate for your band.
- Open “Tax, pension and deductions” for your tax code, student loans, salary sacrifice or pension opt-out.
You’ll see monthly, weekly, two-weekly and yearly pay. Use Save to compare to see two options side by side, like a band change or dropping hours. Print / PDF keeps a copy, and Share creates a link to your exact result.
How NHS take-home pay is worked out
1. Your gross pay
Your band and pay point set your salary. In England the 3.3% pay award for 2026/27 applies from 1 April 2026. Monthly gross pay is your yearly salary divided by 12. Part-time pay is that figure × your hours ÷ 37.5.
2. NHS pension comes off first
The NHS pension is taken before tax, so you get tax relief automatically. Your rate depends on your actual yearly pensionable pay, not your full-time salary.
| Actual pensionable pay (England & Wales) | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,260 to £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,855 to £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,156 to £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,779 to £67,668 | 10.7% |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% |
Scotland and Northern Ireland use their own tables, which the calculator applies automatically. More detail is in our NHS pension calculator.
3. Income tax
Most people get a £12,570 tax-free personal allowance (tax code 1257L). In England, Wales and Northern Ireland you then pay 20% up to £50,270 and 40% above that. Scotland has six rates, from 19% to 48%. The allowance shrinks once income goes over £100,000.
4. National Insurance
You pay 8% on monthly earnings between £1,048 and £4,189, then 2% above that. Pension doesn’t reduce National Insurance, but salary sacrifice does.
5. Student loans
Plan 1 takes 9% over £26,900, Plan 2 9% over £29,385, Plan 4 9% over £33,795, Plan 5 9% over £25,000, and postgraduate loans 6% over £21,000.
6. Take-home pay
Take-home = Gross pay – NHS pension – Income tax – National Insurance – Student loan
Worked example: Band 5 nurse, England, 2026/27
| Monthly item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay (£32,073 ÷ 12) | £2,673 |
| NHS pension (8.3%) | −£222 |
| Income tax | −£281 |
| National Insurance | −£130 |
| Take-home pay | £2,040 |
| With a Plan 2 student loan | £2,020 |
The pension saves this nurse about £44 a month in tax compared with paying the same amount into a pension after tax.
What changes your NHS take-home pay?
Part-time hours
A Band 5 nurse on 22.5 hours earns £19,244 a year. Because the pension rate now uses actual pay, they pay 6.5%, not 8.3%. Their take-home is about £1,365 a month. Use the NHS part-time pay calculator for any hours.
London weighting (HCAS)
| Area | Rate | Minimum | Maximum (2026/27) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% | £5,794 | £8,746 |
| Outer London | 15% | £4,870 | £6,137 |
| Fringe | 5% | £1,346 | £2,270 |
A Band 5 nurse starting in Inner London gets £6,415 HCAS, a gross of £38,488 and about £2,351 a month take-home. That’s £311 more than outside London, even after moving up to the 9.8% pension tier.
Unsocial hours enhancements
| Band | Nights and Saturdays | Sundays and bank holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | +44% | +88% |
| Band 3 | +37% | +74% |
| Bands 4–9 | +30% | +60% |
A Band 5 nurse’s hourly rate is £16.40. Four 7.5-hour Saturday shifts a month add about £148 gross and £96 take-home. Model your rota with the NHS overtime and unsocial hours calculator, or see every hourly rate in our NHS hourly rate guide.
Overtime
Agenda for Change overtime is time and a half, or double time on public holidays, for Bands 1 to 7. Staff in Bands 8a and above usually aren’t paid overtime. Overtime isn’t pensionable for full-time staff.
Salary sacrifice
Car, bike and tech schemes cut your taxable pay and National Insurance. Check the effect with our NHS salary sacrifice calculator.
NHS take-home pay in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Scotland
Scotland’s 2026/27 pay rise was 3.75%, the second year of a two-year deal, and its pay scales are higher than England’s. Scotland also has its own income tax and pension tables. At most bands, Scottish staff still take home more each month.
| Band (entry point) | Scotland salary | Scotland take-home a month | England salary | England take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £26,696 | £1,785 | £25,272 | £1,700 |
| Band 3 | £29,103 | £1,907 | £25,760 | £1,727 |
| Band 4 | £31,537 | £2,042 | £28,392 | £1,874 |
| Band 5 | £34,544 | £2,167 | £32,073 | £2,040 |
| Band 6 | £43,231 | £2,600 | £39,959 | £2,430 |
| Band 7 | £52,845 | £3,032 | £49,387 | £2,934 |
| Band 8a | £65,125 | £3,508 | £57,528 | £3,353 |
Full Scottish figures are in our NHS Scotland pay rise guide.
Wales
Wales applied 3.3% from 1 April 2026. Band 2 in Wales is £26,300, higher than England because of the Real Living Wage uplift, so a full-time Welsh Band 2 takes home about £1,757 a month. Other bands match England.
Northern Ireland
The Health Minister committed to a 3.3% award for 2026/27, but Northern Ireland has often paid late. Check that your HSC payslip shows the 2026/27 rate. If it doesn’t, our NHS back pay calculator shows what you’re owed.
What the 3.3% pay rise means for your take-home pay
| Pay point (England) | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | Extra take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £24,465 | £25,272 | +£45 |
| Band 5 entry | £31,049 | £32,073 | +£56 |
| Band 5 top | £37,796 | £39,043 | +£67 |
| Band 6 entry | £38,682 | £39,959 | +£68 |
| Band 7 entry | £47,810 | £49,387 | +£84 |
| Band 8a top | £62,682 | £64,750 | +£89 |
For every pay point, see NHS pay rise 2026/27 and the full NHS pay bands 2026/27 table.
What opting out of the NHS pension really costs
Opting out raises your take-home a little but you lose your employer’s 23.7% contribution.
| Band (England) | Extra take-home if you opt out | Employer contribution you lose |
|---|---|---|
| Band 3 entry | +£112 a month | £509 a month |
| Band 5 entry | +£177 a month | £633 a month |
| Band 6 entry | +£261 a month | £789 a month |
| Band 7 entry | +£323 a month | £975 a month |
Read opting out of the NHS pension: costs vs gains before you decide.
Common NHS pay problems and fixes
- Wrong tax code. Anything other than 1257L needs checking. See NHS tax code wrong? How to fix it.
- Emergency tax after a new job. W1, M1 or X codes usually correct once HMRC has your details.
- Pension rate looks too high. It’s based on actual pay, so check your hours and pensionable extras.
- Missing enhancements. These often arrive a month late. Compare with your rota.
- Strange payslip codes. Look them up in our NHS payslip explained guide.
Frequently asked questions
What is Band 5 NHS take-home pay in 2026/27?
About £2,040 a month at the entry point (£32,073) and £2,381 at the top (£39,043), full-time in England with NHS pension and no student loan.
What is Band 6 take-home pay in 2026/27?
About £2,430 a month at entry (£39,959) and £2,866 at the top (£48,117).
What is Band 7 take-home pay in 2026/27?
About £2,934 a month at entry (£49,387) and £3,309 at the top (£56,515).
Is the NHS pension taken before tax?
Yes. It’s a net pay arrangement, so contributions come off before income tax and you get tax relief automatically.
Is my pension rate based on full-time pay?
No. Since October 2022 it’s based on your actual pensionable pay, so many part-timers pay a lower rate.
How much is the NHS pay rise for 2026/27?
3.3% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and 3.75% in Scotland, from 1 April 2026.
Do bank staff pay the same tax?
Yes. Bank pay is taxed and pays National Insurance in the same way. Pension on bank work depends on whether you’ve joined the scheme for that role.
Why did my take-home pay change when my salary didn’t?
Usually because of enhancements, arrears, a tax code change, student loan deductions or a change in pension tier.
About this calculator
This calculator is built and checked by Daniel Carter, an NHS payroll accountant. It’s an independent tool and isn’t run by the NHS, NHS Employers or HMRC. Results are estimates: your payslip can differ because of cumulative tax, arrears, local pay elements and payroll timing.
Official sources
- NHS Employers — Pay scales for 2026/27
- Scottish Government — AfC pay circular PCS(AFC)2026/1
- NHS Wales — AfC(W) 02/2026 pay award
- Department of Health NI — Minister’s statement on 2026/27 pay
- HMRC — Rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027
- GOV.UK — Scottish income tax
- NHSBSA — Member contribution rates from 1 April 2026
- NHSBSA — High Cost Area Allowance 2026/27
Daniel Carter is a senior NHS Payroll Accountant with over 10 years of experience in Agenda for Change pay structures, tax, and pensions. He created the NHS Pay Calculators platform to help NHS staff easily understand their take-home pay, sick pay, maternity pay, and pension entitlements through simple, accurate online tools.