NHS Pay Calculator 2026/27
Calculate Your NHS Take-Home Pay
This NHS pay calculator is an Agenda for Change take-home pay calculator: enter your band, pay point and hours to see your 2026/27 pay after tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan. It uses the current Agenda for Change pay scales for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Your Details
Calculate Take-Home
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Enter your salary above to see the full breakdown
Estimates only — verify with HMRC or a qualified accountant.
How Does the NHS Pay Calculator Work?
The NHS pay calculator works out your take-home pay in six steps from your nation, band, pay point and hours. It applies the Agenda for Change pay point for your band, then takes off income tax, National Insurance, NHS pension and any student loan.
- 01
Choose your UK nation
Pick England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland. Each nation has its own Agenda for Change pay scales, and Scotland has its own income tax rates.
- 02
Choose your Agenda for Change band and pay point
Select your band from 2 to 9 and the pay point you are on. The calculator fills in the 2026/27 full-time salary for that point.
- 03
Enter your contracted hours
If you work part time, enter your weekly hours. Your salary is pro-rated against the full-time hours for your nation.
- 04
Add London weighting or the High Cost Area Supplement (England only)
Choose inner London, outer London or the London fringe if your workplace is in one. Staff in the rest of England choose no supplement, and the option does not show for the other nations.
- 05
Choose your pension scheme and student loan plan
Pick the 2015 NHS Pension Scheme, the 1995/2008 section or opted out, then your student loan plan: Plan 1, 2, 4, 5 or postgraduate.
- 06
Read your monthly and annual take-home pay
See your pay after income tax, National Insurance, pension and student loan, with every deduction itemised by month, week and year.
What Deductions Come Off Your NHS Pay?
Four deductions come off NHS pay: income tax, National Insurance, NHS pension contributions and, if you have one, student loan repayments. The table shows who sets each one, the 2026/27 rates and how the calculator works them out.
| Deduction | Who sets it | 2026/27 rate or threshold | How the calculator applies it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Income tax (England, Wales, Northern Ireland) | HMRC | Personal allowance £12,570, 20% to £50,270, 40% to £125,140, 45% above £125,140 | Charged on your pay after pension contributions, so you get tax relief on the pension at source. The personal allowance tapers away on very high pay. |
| Scottish income tax | The Scottish Government | Personal allowance £12,570, 19% to £16,537, 20% to £29,526, 21% to £43,662, 42% to £75,000, 45% to £125,140, 48% above £125,140 | Used instead of the UK rates when you choose Scotland, again on your pay after pension contributions. |
| National Insurance | HMRC | 8% from £12,570 to £50,270, 2% above £50,270 | Charged on your gross pay, before pension contributions come off, at the same rates in all four nations. |
| NHS pension contributions | NHSBSA (SPPA in Scotland, HSC in Northern Ireland) | 5.2% on pensionable pay up to £13,259, rising through 6 tiers to 12.5% above £67,668 | Your tier is set by your actual pensionable pay, including part-time pay and enhancements but not overtime. The 1995/2008 section option uses its own flat rate. |
| Student loan repayments | gov.uk / Student Loans Company | Plan 1 9% above £26,900, Plan 2 9% above £29,385, Plan 4 9% above £33,795, Plan 5 9% above £25,000, Postgraduate 6% above £21,000 | Taken from your pay above the threshold for the plan you choose. Plan 4 is the Scottish plan. |
NHS staff are paid monthly, so the calculator divides each annual deduction by 12 to match your payslip. Your pension tier depends on your pensionable pay, so check the current NHS pension contribution rates before comparing payslips.
What Is the Take-Home Pay for Each NHS Band?
On 2026/27 pay scales, a full-time NHS worker in England takes home between £1,700 and £6,115 a month, depending on band and pay point.
| Band | 2026/27 annual pay (entry to top) | Monthly take-home at entry | Monthly take-home at top | Full band guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £1,700 | £1,700 | NHS Band 2 salary |
| Band 3 | £25,760 – £27,476 | £1,727 | £1,823 | NHS Band 3 salary |
| Band 4 | £28,392 – £31,157 | £1,874 | £1,990 | NHS Band 4 salary |
| Band 5 | £32,073 – £39,043 | £2,040 | £2,381 | NHS Band 5 salary |
| Band 6 | £39,959 – £48,117 | £2,430 | £2,866 | NHS Band 6 salary |
| Band 7 | £49,387 – £56,515 | £2,934 | £3,309 | NHS Band 7 salary |
| Band 8a | £57,528 – £64,750 | £3,353 | £3,663 | NHS Band 8a salary |
| Band 8b | £66,582 – £77,368 | £3,742 | £4,136 | NHS Band 8b salary |
| Band 8c | £79,504 – £91,609 | £4,226 | £4,735 | NHS Band 8c salary |
| Band 8d | £94,356 – £108,814 | £4,851 | £5,459 | NHS Band 8d salary |
| Band 9 | £112,782 – £129,783 | £5,626 | £6,115 | NHS Band 9 salary |
Full-time 37.5-hour week, tax code 1257L, NHS Pension Scheme tier for that pay, no student loan. Band 1 closed to new staff in April 2021 and former Band 1 staff moved to Band 2.
How Do You Calculate NHS Part-Time Pay?
To calculate NHS part-time pay, multiply the full-time salary for your band and pay point by your contracted hours divided by 37.5.
- 01
Find your full-time annual salary
Look up the 2026/27 full-time salary for your Agenda for Change band and pay point.
- 02
Divide your weekly hours by 37.5
Full-time NHS hours are 37.5 a week, so 30 hours gives 0.8 and 22.5 hours gives 0.6.
- 03
Multiply to get your pro rata salary
Multiply the full-time salary by that figure to get your part-time salary before deductions.
- 04
Enter your hours in the calculator to apply tax, NI and pension
The calculator pro-rates your pay point, then takes off income tax, National Insurance and NHS pension.
A Band 5 nurse working 30 hours earns 80% (30 ÷ 37.5) of £32,073, which is £25,658 a year before deductions and about £1,722 a month take-home.
Your NHS pension tier is based on your actual pensionable pay, so part-time staff can pay a lower rate than a full-time colleague on the same pay point.
Compare NHS Take-Home Pay Across the UK
See how the same AfC salary takes home a different amount in each nation because of income tax rules and London supplements.
NHS England Pay Calculator
The NHS England pay calculator uses the 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay points and HMRC 2026/27 income tax and National Insurance. In London it adds the High Cost Area Supplement for your zone.
- HCAS: up to £8,745/yr in Inner London
- Tax: 20% basic · 40% higher · 45% additional
- Student loans: Plan 2 default
NHS Scotland Pay Calculator
The NHS Scotland pay calculator applies Scotland's own Agenda for Change pay points and the 2026/27 Scottish income tax bands. You can check every pay point on the full NHS Scotland pay scales.
- 6 tax rates from 19% to 48%
- Intermediate rate 21% (£29,527–£43,662)
- Student loans: Plan 4 default
NHS Wales Pay Calculator
The NHS Wales pay calculator applies the 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay scales for Wales and UK income tax rates to your band and hours. You can check every pay point on the full NHS Wales pay scales before you enter yours.
- Tax: identical to England
- No HCAS supplement
- Student loans: Plan 2 default
HSC Northern Ireland Pay Calculator
The HSC Northern Ireland pay calculator uses the HSC pay points currently being paid, because the 2026/27 rise is still pending. See the full HSC Northern Ireland pay scales for every band.
- Tax: identical to England
- No HCAS supplement
- Student loans: Plan 2 default
| Step | Salary | NHS Pay England | NHS Pay Scotland | NHS Pay Wales | NHS Pay N. Ireland | Difference |
|---|
Figures use 2026/27 England & Wales tax rates, Scottish income tax bands, and NHS Pension 2015 scheme. HCAS shown for England only (Inner London zone). NI and pension are the same across all four nations.
NHS Pay London Weighting
NHS staff in and around London receive a High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) — a pensionable top-up calculated as a percentage of basic salary, subject to min/max limits.
NHS Inner London Weighting
Areas covered
Westminster, Camden, Islington, Southwark, Lambeth, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Lewisham, Wandsworth, Newham, Haringey, Greenwich, City of London
NHS Outer London Weighting
Areas covered
Barnet, Bexley, Brent, Bromley, Croydon, Ealing, Enfield, Harrow, Havering, Hillingdon, Hounslow, Kingston, Merton, Redbridge, Richmond, Sutton, Waltham Forest
NHS Fringe London Weighting
Areas covered
Parts of Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent, Surrey, and Bedfordshire
NHS High Cost Area Supplement
| Zone | HCAS | Gross | Take-Home | Boost |
|---|
NHS Salary by Role
Find the band and take-home pay for your NHS role. NHS nurse pay starts at Band 5 for newly qualified nurses, and the nursing pay calculator above works out take-home pay for every nursing band.
What is an NHS Pay Calculator?
An NHS Pay Calculator is a digital tool designed to assist National Health Service (NHS) employees in estimating their take-home pay. NHS Pay Calculator calculates expected earnings by considering various deductions such as income tax, National Insurance contributions, and NHS pension scheme deductions. The NHS Pay Calculator aligns with the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales, which standardize pay structures across the NHS workforce in the United Kingdom. The main purpose of the NHS Pay Calculator is to provide healthcare professionals with a clear understanding of their net salary after mandatory deductions. It helps users plan their finances by offering detailed breakdowns of earnings across different pay bands, from Band 2 to Band 9. The NHS Pay Calculator accommodates part-time and flexible working arrangements, and considers regional variations like London Weighting and High-Cost Area Supplements (HCAS). This full-featured tool includes resources for broader financial planning, such as NHS Pension forecasts and Annual Leave calculations, making it a key utility for NHS staff.
What is the Purpose of the NHS Pay Calculator?
The purpose of the NHS Pay Calculator is to accurately determine the take-home pay for NHS employees by factoring in gross salary, tax deductions, National Insurance contributions, and NHS pension payments.
Is the NHS Pay Calculator Reliable?
Yes, the NHS Pay Calculator is reliable. The calculator at NHS Pay Calculator accurately determines NHS pay by using official Agenda for Change pay scales, tax deductions, and pension contributions. However, minor errors might occur due to individual variations in payslip details or unaccounted enhancements. Cross-verifying with your official payslip ensures precision.
How Frequently is the NHS Pay Calculator Updated?
The NHS Pay Calculator is updated annually in alignment with the NHS pay bands. When a new pay award is paid late, the NHS pay rise and back pay calculator works out the arrears owed for each month. These pay bands are revised each year as part of the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales, with changes taking effect on April 1st. This ensures that the calculator reflects the most current pay rates, including adjustments for tax, National Insurance, and NHS pension contributions across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
Does the NHS Pay Calculator Account for Regional Pay Differences?
Yes, the NHS Pay Calculator accounts for regional pay differences. Users can select their specific region within the calculator, which adjusts pay scales accordingly for England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. The NHS Pay Calculator incorporates London Weighting and High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) adjustments. These adjustments provide a supplement of 20% of basic salary for Inner London, 15% for Outer London, and 5% for Fringe areas, giving accurate take-home pay estimates based on the staff's location across the UK.
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