NHS Band 8 (8a to 8d) Pay
Band 8 (8a to 8d) pays £57,528 to £108,814 a year in England for 2026/27, depending on your step. That is about £3,353 a month take-home at the entry step.
| Band | Step | Annual | Monthly Gross | Hourly | Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 8a | Entry step | £57,528 | £4,794 | £29.42 | £3,353 |
| Band 8a | Mid step | £60,417 | £5,035 | £30.90 | £3,477 |
| Band 8a | Top step | £64,750 | £5,396 | £33.11 | £3,663 |
| Band 8b | Entry step | £66,582 | £5,549 | £34.05 | £3,742 |
| Band 8b | Mid step | £70,896 | £5,908 | £36.26 | £3,863 |
| Band 8b | Top step | £77,368 | £6,447 | £39.57 | £4,136 |
| Band 8c | Entry step | £79,504 | £6,625 | £40.66 | £4,226 |
| Band 8c | Mid step | £84,346 | £7,029 | £43.14 | £4,429 |
| Band 8c | Top step | £91,609 | £7,634 | £46.85 | £4,735 |
| Band 8d | Entry step | £94,356 | £7,863 | £48.25 | £4,851 |
| Band 8d | Mid step | £100,140 | £8,345 | £51.21 | £5,094 |
| Band 8d | Top step | £108,814 | £9,068 | £55.65 | £5,459 |
Take-home assumes tax code 1257L, NHS pension membership, no London supplement and no student loan. Work out your own figure.
Band 8 (8a to 8d) across the Four Nations
Same band, same step, four different answers — separate awards, separate tax, and a shorter week in Scotland.
| Nation | Week | Award | Gross | Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | 37.5h | 3.3% | £57,528 | £40,231 |
| Scotland | 36h | 3.75% | £65,125 | £42,096 |
| Wales | 37.5h | 3.3% | £58,379 | £40,670 |
| Northern Ireland provisional | 37.5h | — | £57,528 | £40,162 |
Band 8 (8a to 8d) Pay over Five Years
| Year | Award | Entry Step | Top Step | Full Tables |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026/27 | 3.3% | £57,528 | £64,750 | 2026/27 scales |
| 2025/26 | — | £55,690 | £62,682 | 2025/26 scales |
| 2024/25 | — | £53,755 | £60,504 | 2024/25 scales |
| 2023/24 | — | £50,952 | £57,349 | 2023/24 scales |
| 2022/23 | — | £48,526 | £54,619 | 2022/23 scales |
Entry-step pay has risen £9,002 since 2022/23, an increase of 18.6% over five years before inflation.
Which Jobs Are Band 8 (8a to 8d)?
84 nationally profiled job titles are matched to Band 8, across 35 job families, from the NHS Employers A–Z job profile index.
A national profile is not a guarantee. A national profile is the job-evaluation match for a role. Individual posts are matched locally, so an employer may band a job differently from the national profile.
Band 8 Pay by Profession
Pay is set by the band, not the profession: a Band 8 nurse and a Band 8 midwife on the same step are paid the same basic salary. What differs is which of a profession’s national profiles sit at this band and which of 8a to 8d they span, and where the next one up is.
| Profession | National Profiles at Band 8 | Pay Range | Next Profile Up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse | Nurse Consultant (Band 8a–8c) Nurse/Midwife Consultant Higher Level (Band 8c–9) |
£57,528 to £129,783 | — |
| Midwife | Midwife Consultant (Band 8b–8c) Midwifery band 8a-b (Band 8a–8b) Midwifery band 8c-9 (Band 8c–9) Nurse/Midwife Consultant Higher Level (Band 8c–9) |
£57,528 to £129,783 | — |
| Physiotherapist | Physiotherapist Consultant (Band 8a–8b) Physiotherapist Principal (Band 8a) |
£57,528 to £77,368 | — |
| Occupational therapist | Occupational Therapist Consultant (Band 8a–8b) Occupational Therapist Principal (Band 8a) |
£57,528 to £77,368 | — |
| Radiographer or sonographer | Radiographer Consultant (Diagnostic) (Band 8b–8c) Radiographer Consultant (Therapy) (Band 8a–8c) Radiographer Principal (Band 8a) |
£57,528 to £91,609 | — |
| Clinical physiologist | Physiological Measurement/Clinical Physiology Service Manager (Band 8a–8b) | £57,528 to £77,368 | — |
| Pharmacist | Pharmacist Advanced (Band 8a–8b) Pharmacist Team Manager (Band 8b–8c) Pharmacy Consultant (Band 8b–8d) Professional Manager Pharmaceutical Services (Band 8c–9) |
£57,528 to £129,783 | — |
| Speech and language therapist | Consultant Speech and Language Therapist (Band 8a–8c) Speech and Language Therapist Principal (Band 8a–8b) |
£57,528 to £91,609 | — |
| Clinical psychologist | Clinical Psychologist Consultant, Professional Lead/Head of Psychology Services (Band 8d–9) Clinical Psychologist Principal (Band 8a–8b) |
£57,528 to £129,783 | — |
| Social worker | Social Work Locality/Service Manager (Band 8a) | £57,528 to £64,750 | — |
Profile titles and bands from the NHS Employers A–Z job profile index (January 2026). Pay range runs from the entry step of the lowest band to the top step of the highest band the profiles cover. Your own post is banded by local job matching, which can differ from the national profile.
All 84 Profiled Job Titles at Band 8
- AHP Consultant Generic Therapy
- Arts Therapies Consultant (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement) Art Therapy
- Arts Therapist Principal (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement) Art Therapy
- Chief Finance Manager Finance
- Clinical Governance Practitioner (Higher Level) Public Health/Health Improvement
- Clinical Practitioner: Band 8ab Clinical Practitioner
- Clinical Psychologist Consultant, Professional Lead/Head of Psychology Services Psychological professions
- Clinical Psychologist Principal Psychological professions
- Clinical Pyschologist Consultant Psychological professions
- Clinical Researcher Nursing & Midwifery Generic & Generic Therapy
- Clinical Researcher Principal Nursing & Midwifery Generic & Generic Therapy
- Communications Service Manager Public Relations
- Consultant Clinical Scientist Head of Service (Molecular Genetics/Cytogenetics) Clinical Sciences
- Consultant Speech and Language Therapist Speech and Language Therapy
- Counsellor Consultant Psychological professions
- Counsellor Professional Manager Psychological professions
- Dental Laboratory Manager Dental Services
- Director of Estates and Facilities Estates & Maintenance
- Estates Manager Higher Level (operations and/or specialist services) Estates & Maintenance
- Estates Manager higher level (Projects) Estates & Maintenance
- Genetic Counsellor Consultant Genetic Counsellors
- Genetic Counsellor Principal Genetic Counsellors
- Head of Arts Therapies (Art, Music, Drama, Dance Movement) Art Therapy
- Head of Estates/Assistant Head of Estates Estates & Maintenance
- Head of Procurement and Supply SS
- Health Improvement Principal Public Health/Health Improvement
- Health Records Services Manager Patient Services
- Healthcare Science Manager Health Care Science
- Healthcare Science Practitioner Principal (Research) Health Care Science
- Healthcare Science Service Manager Health Care Science
- Healthcare Scientist Advanced Health Care Science
- Healthcare Scientist Consultant Health Care Science
- Healthcare Scientist Head of Service/Director Health Care Science
- Healthcare Scientist Specialist Health Care Science
- Healthcare Scientist Specialist (Research) Health Care Science
- HR Head of service Human Resources
- HR Manager Principal ( Assistant Director) Human Resources
- IM&T Consultant Information Technology
- IM&T Service Manager Information Technology
- Information Analyst Principal (Statistics/Information Management/Public Health Intelligence) Information Technology
- Midwife Consultant NM
- Midwifery band 8a-b Midwifery
- Midwifery band 8c-9 Midwifery
- Modern Matron NM
- Modern Matron Community NM
- Nurse Consultant NM
- Nurse/Midwife Consultant Higher Level NM
- Nursing: Band 8a Combined Nursing
- Nursing: Band 8abc Combined Nursing
- Nursing: Band 8c-9 Combined Nursing
- Occupational Therapist Consultant Occupational Therapy
- Occupational Therapist Principal Occupational Therapy
- Orthoptist/Optometrist Consultant Head of Service Orhoptists and Optometrists
- Orthoptists/Optometrist Principal Orthoptists and Optometrists
- PALS Professional Head Public Relations
- Pharmacist Advanced Pharmacy
- Pharmacist Team Manager Pharmacy
- Pharmacy Consultant Pharmacy
- Physiological Measurement/Clinical Physiology Service Manager Medical Technology
- Physiotherapist Consultant Physiotherapy
- Physiotherapist Principal Physiotherapy
- Podiatric Consultant (Surgery) Podiatry
- Podiatric Principal Podiatry
- Podiatric Registrar (Surgery) Podiatry
- Principal Clinical Scientist (Molecular Genetics/Cytogenetics) Clinical Sciences
- Principal Finance Manager Finance
- Professional Manager (Clinical, Clinical Technical Service) Professional Managers
- Professional Manager Library Services Information Services
- Professional Manager Pharmaceutical Services Pharmacy
- Professional Manager, Improvement & Development Business & Projects
- Professional Manager, Performance/Operations Business & Projects
- Professional Manager, Performance/Operations Higher Level Business & Projects
- Programme Manager Business & Projects
- Public Health Consultant Public Health/Health Improvement
- Public Health Research & Development Manager Public Health/Health Improvement
- Radiographer Consultant (Diagnostic) Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiographers
- Radiographer Consultant (Therapy) Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiographers
- Radiographer Principal Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiographers
- Screening Practitioner, Service Manager Cancer Screening
- Social Care Programme Manager/Assistant Director Social Services Social Work
- Social Work Locality/Service Manager Social Work
- Solicitor Consultant Legal Services
- Solicitor principal Legal Services
- Speech and Language Therapist Principal Speech and Language Therapy
Full job descriptions and the responsibilities each role is scored against are published by NHS Employers as national profile documents. We link them rather than reproduce them, so you always read the current version: browse the profile documents. To understand how a role ends up in this band at all, see how pay bands are decided.
What Makes a Job Band 8 (8a to 8d)
Bands are not assigned by judgement. Every NHS role is scored against 16 factors under the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme — knowledge and experience, responsibility for patient care, freedom to act, physical and emotional effort, working conditions and others. Each factor is awarded points according to the level the job demands, and the 1000 points available add up to a single total.
That total decides the band. Band 8 covers jobs scoring 540-584 points.
| Band | Total Score |
|---|---|
| Band 1 | 0-160 points |
| Band 2 | 161-215 points |
| Band 3 | 216-270 points |
| Band 4 | 271-325 points |
| Band 5 | 326-395 points |
| Band 6 | 396-465 points |
| Band 7 | 466-539 points |
| Band 8 | 540-584 points |
| Band 9 | 585-629 points |
This is why taking on extra duties does not by itself change your band: the job description has to be re-evaluated and score into the next range. How the 16 factors are scored →
Pension at Band 8 (8a to 8d)
At £94,356 your contribution tier is 12.5%, which is £11,795 a year, or £983 a month. Because it comes out before income tax, the real cost to your take-home is less than the headline rate.
Your employer pays 23.7% on top — £22,362 a year at this salary. That is money most pay calculators never show you, and it is the single biggest reason opting out is rarely a good deal.
Tiers are slabs, not slices. Cross a threshold and the higher rate applies to all your pensionable pay, not just the part above it. A pay rise that nudges you over a boundary can leave a smaller increase than you expected — the calculator shows which tier you land in and why.
London Weighting at Band 8 (8a to 8d)
England only. A percentage of basic pay, capped at an annual minimum and maximum — which is why the headline percentage is not what everyone receives.
| Zone | Rate | Supplement | Extra Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% | £8,746 (at the maximum) | +£4,511 |
| Outer London | 15% | £6,137 (at the maximum) | +£3,165 |
| Fringe | 5% | £2,270 (at the maximum) | +£1,171 |
Moving Up from Band 8 (8a to 8d)
What a promotion is actually worth, after tax, National Insurance and pension — not the gross difference.
| Band | Gross | Take-Home | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 7 entry step | £49,387 | £35,207 | −£5,024 |
| Band 8 (8a to 8d) entry step | £57,528 | £40,231 | — |
| Band 9 entry step | £112,782 | £67,513 | +£27,282 |
What does it take to reach Band 9? There is no national answer, and any site that gives you one has invented it. Agenda for Change does not publish promotion criteria — each vacancy sets its own person specification, and the post is banded by job evaluation. What you can do is read the national profiles for Band 9 to see the responsibilities those roles are scored against, then compare them with your current job description.
Moving up a step within your own band is different, and happens on your incremental date — see when your increment is due.
Common Questions
How Much Does Band 8 (8a to 8d) Earn in 2026/27?
In England, Band 8 (8a to 8d) pay runs from £57,528 to £108,814 a year full time for 2026/27. The entry step of £57,528 works out at about £3,353 a month after tax, National Insurance and pension.
What Is Band 8 (8a to 8d) Take-Home Pay a Month?
About £3,353 a month at the entry step, on a standard tax code with NHS pension membership and no London supplement. Your own figure depends on your step, hours, nation and circumstances.
Which Jobs Are Band 8 (8a to 8d)?
84 nationally profiled job titles are matched to Band 8, across families including Generic Therapy, Art Therapy, Finance, Public Health/Health Improvement. Individual posts are banded locally, so an employer may band a job differently from the national profile.
What Are the Requirements to Reach the Next Band?
There is no national answer. Agenda for Change does not publish promotion criteria — each vacancy sets its own person specification and the post is banded by job evaluation, not by the person filling it. The national job profiles show the responsibilities roles at the next band are scored against.
Does Band 8 (8a to 8d) Pay Differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?
Yes. Each nation negotiates its own award, and Scotland also has a shorter standard working week — 36 hours from April 2026 against 37.5 elsewhere. The comparison table on this page shows all four.