NHS Salary Calculator 2026-2027
Calculate your NHS take-home pay for any Agenda for Change band. Includes income tax, National Insurance, student loans, and NHS pension contributions.
Pay bands based on AfC England rates · 2026-2027 tax year
Ready to Calculate
Select your AfC band and spine point (or enter a custom salary), then click Calculate.
NHS Agenda for Change Pay Bands 2026-2027
| Band | Typical Roles | Min Salary | Max Salary | Min Take-Home* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | Healthcare assistant, porter, admin support | £24,907 | £27,057 | ~£18,182 |
| Band 3 | Senior healthcare assistant, medical secretary | £25,979 | £28,441 | ~£18,965 |
| Band 4 | Nursing associate, therapy assistant practitioner | £27,999 | £30,701 | ~£20,439 |
| Band 5 | Newly qualified nurse, midwife, AHP, scientist | £31,049 | £37,890 | ~£22,666 |
| Band 6 | Senior nurse, senior AHP, specialist practitioner | £39,093 | £47,126 | ~£28,538 |
| Band 7 | Advanced nurse practitioner, team manager, consultant AHP | £48,526 | £55,423 | ~£35,424 |
| Band 8a | Service manager, advanced clinical practitioner | £56,388 | £63,465 | ~£41,163 |
| Band 8b | Head of service, senior manager | £65,264 | £75,847 | ~£47,643 |
| Band 8c | Deputy director, divisional director | £77,956 | £89,787 | ~£56,908 |
| Band 8d | Director of nursing, executive director | £92,462 | £107,374 | ~£67,497 |
| Band 9 | Very senior manager, chief operating officer | £110,589 | £127,201 | ~£80,730 |
* Estimated take-home at minimum spine point for England, including NHS pension, no student loans. Use the calculator above for your exact figure. Pay bands based on 2025/26 AfC England rates (5.5% uplift applied). 2026/27 rates subject to NHS Pay Review Body recommendation.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Band 5 nurse on the minimum spine point of £31,049 takes home approximately £25,400 per year (£2,117/month) after income tax, National Insurance, and NHS pension contributions, with no student loan repayments. On the top spine point of £37,890, take-home is approximately £29,800/year.
NHS pension contributions are tiered based on your salary. Most nurses and allied health professionals on Band 5–6 pay between 7.1% and 9.8%. Contributions are made via salary sacrifice, reducing your taxable pay and saving you income tax and National Insurance on the amount contributed.
Yes. NHS Scotland and NHS Wales have separate pay negotiations and their own AfC pay schedules, which may differ from England. Scottish NHS staff are also subject to Scottish income tax rates, which have different bands above the basic rate. Use our calculator and select your region for accurate results.
The 2026/27 NHS pay award is determined by the NHS Pay Review Body (PRB) and accepted (or modified) by the UK Government. Pay increases are typically announced in the spring budget cycle. Our pay band figures reflect the most recent confirmed rates — check NHS Employers for the latest pay circular.
Student nurses are not paid AfC salaries — they receive a non-means-tested training grant (currently £5,000/year for England students, plus additional allowances). Once qualified, newly registered nurses start at Band 5 minimum (£31,049 in England for 2025/26).
Yes. You can opt out of the NHS Pension Scheme, which would increase your take-home pay. However, given the employer contribution rate of 23.7% and the defined benefit nature of the scheme, opting out is generally not financially advisable. Use our calculator with NHS pension unticked to see the difference.