NHS pay bands 2026/27
Agenda for Change pay in England from 1 April 2026 runs from £25,272 at Band 2 to £129,783 at the top of Band 9. Pick a band for its pay points, take-home pay, hourly rate and London weighting.
- Bands
- 11
- Agenda for Change, 2026/27
- Band 5 entry
- £32,073
- a year, full time
- From
- £25,272
- Band 2 entry
- Annual leave
- 27 days
- rising to 33, plus bank holidays
| Band | Entry | Top | Take-home a month (entry) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £25,272 | £1,700 |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £27,476 | £1,727 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | £31,157 | £1,874 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £39,043 | £2,040 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £48,117 | £2,430 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £56,515 | £2,934 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £64,750 | £3,353 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £77,368 | £3,742 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £91,609 | £4,226 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £108,814 | £4,851 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £129,783 | £5,626 |
Full time, 37.5 hours, England, outside London. Take-home after 2026/27 tax, NI and NHS pension.
How Agenda for Change pay works
Almost every NHS role in England except doctors, dentists and very senior managers is paid on Agenda for Change. Each job is given a band by job evaluation, and each band has two or three pay points. You start at the entry point and move up after two years, then again after three to five years depending on the band, as long as you meet the normal expectations of the role.
Pay awards normally apply from 1 April. The 2026/27 scale took effect on 1 April 2026, and when an award is announced later in the year it is backdated to April and paid as arrears.
Unsocial hours, overtime and leave
| Band | Saturdays and weekday nights | Sundays and public holidays |
|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | +41% | +83% |
| Band 3 | +35% | +69% |
| Bands 4 to 9 | +30% | +60% |
Weekday nights are 8pm to 6am. Overtime is paid at time and a half, and double time on public holidays, except in Bands 8 and 9, which do not get overtime pay. Annual leave is 27 days on appointment, 29 days after five years, 33 days after ten years, plus 8 public holidays. Source: NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook.
Common questions
- What are the NHS pay bands for 2026/27?
- From 1 April 2026, Agenda for Change pay in England runs from £25,272 at Band 2 to £129,783 at the top of Band 9. Band 5, the starting band for newly qualified nurses, is £32,073 to £39,043.
- How do you move up an NHS pay band?
- By getting a job that has been evaluated at a higher band. Time in post moves you up the pay points within your band, not into the next one.