NHS Band 5 pay 2026/27
Band 5 pays £32,073 to £39,043 a year in England from 1 April 2026 — about £2,040 a month take-home at entry, or £16.40 an hour.
- Entry
- £32,073
- a year, full time
- Top of band
- £39,043
- after progression
- Take-home
- £2,040
- a month at entry
- Hourly
- £16.40
- at entry, 37.5 hours
Pay points
| Pay point | Annual | Monthly (gross) | Take-home a month | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £32,073 | £2,673 | £2,040 | £16.40 |
| After 2 years | £34,592 | £2,883 | £2,177 | £17.69 |
| After 4 years | £39,043 | £3,254 | £2,381 | £19.97 |
Full time, 37.5 hours, England. Take-home after 2026/27 income tax, National Insurance and NHS pension, outside London. Source: NHS Employers pay scales 2026/27.
With London weighting
- Fringe
- £33,677 (+£1,604)
- Outer London
- £36,943 (+£4,870)
- Inner London
- £38,488 (+£6,415)
At the entry point, with the 2026/27 High Cost Area Supplement.
Part time
- 30 hours a week
- £25,658 · £1,722/month take-home
- 22.5 hours a week
- £19,244 · £1,365/month take-home
At the entry point, pro rata on 37.5 hours.
On top of basic pay
| Hours worked | Enhancement | Hourly at entry |
|---|---|---|
| Standard hours | — | £16.40 |
| Saturdays, and weekdays 8pm–6am | +30% | £21.32 |
| Sundays and public holidays | +60% | £26.24 |
| Overtime | Time and a half (double on public holidays) | £24.60 |
Annual leave is 27 days on appointment, 29 days after five years, 33 days after ten years, plus 8 public holidays. The NHS Pension Scheme adds an employer contribution of 23.7% of pay on top of salary. Source: NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook.
Band 5 against the bands either side
- Band 4 starts at £28,392 — Band 5 pays £3,681 a year more at entry (about £166 a month after deductions).
- Band 6 starts at £39,959 — £7,886 a year more than Band 5 at entry.
You move up a band by applying for a role that has been evaluated at the higher band — not by time served. Time served moves you up the pay points within your band. Training such as a degree apprenticeship, a registered qualification or advanced practice training is usually what opens the next band.
Typical Band 5 roles
- Newly qualified nurse
- Newly qualified midwife
- Radiographer
- Physiotherapist
- Occupational therapist
Common questions
- How much is NHS Band 5 pay in 2026/27?
- Band 5 runs from £32,073 at entry to £39,043 at the top of the band, for a full-time 37.5-hour week in England, from 1 April 2026.
- How much does a Band 5 take home a month?
- About £2,040 a month at entry after income tax, National Insurance and NHS pension, outside London, rising to about £2,381 at the top of the band.
- What is the Band 5 hourly rate?
- £16.40 an hour at entry and £19.97 at the top, based on 37.5 hours a week. Unsocial hours, overtime and London weighting are paid on top.
- How long does it take to reach the top of Band 5?
- 4 years. Pay moves up a step after 2 years and 4 years in the band, subject to meeting the normal expectations of the role.
- How much extra does a Band 5 get for nights and weekends?
- Band 5 unsocial hours are paid at time plus 30% on Saturdays and weekday nights (8pm to 6am), and time plus 60% on Sundays and public holidays. At the entry point that is about £21.32 and £26.24 an hour.
- Does Band 5 get paid overtime?
- Yes. Overtime beyond 37.5 hours a week is paid at time and a half — about £24.60 an hour at entry — and double time on public holidays. Part-time staff are paid plain time for extra hours until they pass 37.5 hours in the week.
- What jobs are Band 5?
- Typical Band 5 roles include newly qualified nurse, newly qualified midwife, radiographer, physiotherapist, occupational therapist. Every NHS role is banded by job evaluation, so the same title can sit in different bands at different trusts.