NHS pay calculator
Choose your band, pay point, weekly hours and London area to see gross salary and an explained take-home estimate.
Estimate only: This is not an NHS, NHSBSA or HMRC payroll service. It assumes England tax rates, a standard Personal Allowance and category A National Insurance. It excludes student loans, benefits, salary sacrifice, arrears and individual tax-code adjustments.
Calculate NHS Agenda for Change pay in England
This NHS pay calculator converts the official 2026/27 Agenda for Change salary for bands 2 to 9 into part-time or full-time gross pay. It can add Inner London, Outer London or Fringe High Cost Area Supplement figures and estimate NHS Pension contributions, Income Tax, National Insurance and take-home pay.
NHS pay bands 2026/27
The table shows full-time basic salary before London weighting and before deductions. The calculator uses the exact pay point selected and pro-rates it using 37.5 hours as full time.
| Band | Entry | Intermediate | Top |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | £25,272 | — | £25,272 |
| 3 | £25,760 | — | £27,476 |
| 4 | £28,392 | — | £31,157 |
| 5 | £32,073 | £34,592 | £39,043 |
| 6 | £39,959 | £42,170 | £48,117 |
| 7 | £49,387 | £51,932 | £56,515 |
| 8a | £57,528 | £60,417 | £64,750 |
| 8b | £66,582 | £70,896 | £77,368 |
| 8c | £79,504 | £84,346 | £91,609 |
| 8d | £94,356 | £100,140 | £108,814 |
| 9 | £112,782 | £119,583 | £129,783 |
Band 1 is a closed spot salary and is not offered as a new-entry band, so it is omitted from the selector.
How the NHS pay calculation works
Choose the official salary
The selected band, pay point and HCAS area determine the full-time annual salary.
Pro-rate contracted hours
Annual salary × weekly hours ÷ 37.5
Add recurring gross extras
Pro-rated salary + monthly extras × 12
Estimate deductions
Pension is deducted before estimated Income Tax; employee National Insurance is estimated from total gross pay.
NHS Pension contribution tiers for 2026/27
Member contributions use actual annual pensionable pay, which matters for part-time staff. The applicable percentage is charged on all pensionable pay rather than only the slice within the tier.
| Actual annual pensionable pay | Member rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,260–£28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,855–£35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,156–£52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,779–£67,668 | 10.7% |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% |
Worked example: Band 5 entry salary
A full-time Band 5 employee at the entry pay point outside a high-cost area has basic gross pay of £32,073 a year, or £2,672.75 a month. On the calculator assumptions, actual pensionable pay falls in the 8.3% NHS Pension tier. The estimated annual pension contribution is £2,662.06, estimated Income Tax is £3,368.19 and employee National Insurance is £1,560.24. That gives estimated take-home pay of about £2,040.21 per month before student loans or other payroll adjustments.
This example illustrates the calculator method; it is not a payslip forecast for every employee.
London weighting and additional pay
High Cost Area Supplements have minimum and maximum values, so the calculator uses the official published inclusive annual salary for each band and pay point instead of multiplying every salary by a flat percentage. The selected inclusive figure is then pro-rated for part-time hours.
For overtime, unsocial hours, on-call pay and other enhancements, enter the gross amount you reasonably expect each month. These payments can vary by band, shift pattern, contract and local payroll rules. Choose whether that additional amount is pensionable so the pension estimate matches your situation more closely.
Frequently asked questions
Which NHS pay scales does this calculator use?
It uses the NHS Agenda for Change pay points for England effective from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027. It does not use the separate scales for Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, or the contracts for doctors and dentists.
Does the NHS pay calculator include London weighting?
Yes. Select Inner London, Outer London or Fringe to use the official 2026/27 High Cost Area Supplement inclusive salary for the chosen band and pay point, then pro-rate it for contracted hours.
How is part-time NHS pay calculated?
The selected full-time annual salary, including any chosen High Cost Area Supplement, is multiplied by contracted weekly hours divided by 37.5.
How are NHS Pension contributions estimated?
The calculator chooses the 2026/27 member contribution tier from actual annual pensionable pay and applies that percentage to all pensionable pay. You can switch the estimate off or mark additional monthly pay as pensionable.
Is the take-home figure the same as my payslip?
No. It is an annualised estimate for England using a standard Personal Allowance and category A National Insurance. Tax codes, student or postgraduate loans, salary sacrifice, benefits, arrears, payroll timing and pensionable-pay treatment can change an actual payslip.
Are overtime and unsocial-hours enhancements included?
Enter the expected gross value as additional pay per month. Enhancement eligibility and rates depend on the role, band, shift and local payroll treatment, so the calculator does not guess an enhancement percentage.
Official data sources and important note
- NHS Employers — Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27
- NHSBSA — pay and pension contributions
- GOV.UK — Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances
- GOV.UK — 2026/27 PAYE and National Insurance rates
Calculeter is independent and is not affiliated with the NHS, NHS Employers, NHSBSA or HMRC. Always compare the result with your contract, ESR record and payslip, and ask payroll or a qualified adviser about personal tax or pension questions.