NHS Pay Scales 2025/26
Every Agenda for Change band and step for all four nations. Monthly figures are gross, before deductions. To see take-home pay use the pay calculator.
Band 5 entry in England was £31,049 this year. Jump to a nation: England · Scotland · Wales · Northern Ireland.
England
| Band | Step | Annual | Monthly (Gross) | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | Single step | £24,465 | £2,039 | £12.51 |
| Band 2 | Single step | £24,465 | £2,039 | £12.51 |
| Band 3 | Entry step | £24,937 | £2,078 | £12.75 |
| Band 3 | Top step | £26,598 | £2,217 | £13.60 |
| Band 4 | Entry step | £27,485 | £2,290 | £14.06 |
| Band 4 | Top step | £30,162 | £2,514 | £15.43 |
| Band 5 | Entry step | £31,049 | £2,587 | £15.88 |
| Band 5 | Mid step | £33,487 | £2,791 | £17.13 |
| Band 5 | Top step | £37,796 | £3,150 | £19.33 |
| Band 6 | Entry step | £38,682 | £3,224 | £19.78 |
| Band 6 | Mid step | £40,823 | £3,402 | £20.88 |
| Band 6 | Top step | £46,580 | £3,882 | £23.82 |
| Band 7 | Entry step | £47,810 | £3,984 | £24.45 |
| Band 7 | Mid step | £50,273 | £4,189 | £25.71 |
| Band 7 | Top step | £54,710 | £4,559 | £27.98 |
| Band 8a | Entry step | £55,690 | £4,641 | £28.48 |
| Band 8a | Mid step | £58,487 | £4,874 | £29.91 |
| Band 8a | Top step | £62,682 | £5,224 | £32.06 |
| Band 8b | Entry step | £64,455 | £5,371 | £32.96 |
| Band 8b | Mid step | £68,631 | £5,719 | £35.10 |
| Band 8b | Top step | £74,896 | £6,241 | £38.30 |
| Band 8c | Entry step | £76,965 | £6,414 | £39.36 |
| Band 8c | Mid step | £81,652 | £6,804 | £41.76 |
| Band 8c | Top step | £88,682 | £7,390 | £45.35 |
| Band 8d | Entry step | £91,342 | £7,612 | £46.71 |
| Band 8d | Mid step | £96,941 | £8,078 | £49.58 |
| Band 8d | Top step | £105,337 | £8,778 | £53.87 |
| Band 9 | Entry step | £109,179 | £9,098 | £55.84 |
| Band 9 | Mid step | £115,763 | £9,647 | £59.20 |
| Band 9 | Top step | £125,637 | £10,470 | £64.25 |
Effective 2025-04-01. Hourly = annual ÷ (37.5 × 52.143). Source: NHS Employers — Pay scales for 2025/26 (checked 2025-05-22).
Scotland
| Band | Step | Annual | Monthly (Gross) | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | Single step | £25,597 | £2,133 | £13.27 |
| Band 2 | Entry step | £25,731 | £2,144 | £13.34 |
| Band 2 | Top step | £27,941 | £2,328 | £14.48 |
| Band 3 | Entry step | £28,051 | £2,338 | £14.54 |
| Band 3 | Top step | £30,274 | £2,523 | £15.69 |
| Band 4 | Entry step | £30,397 | £2,533 | £15.76 |
| Band 4 | Top step | £33,063 | £2,755 | £17.14 |
| Band 5 | Entry step | £33,295 | £2,775 | £17.26 |
| Band 5 | Mid step | £35,576 | £2,965 | £18.44 |
| Band 5 | Top step | £41,483 | £3,457 | £21.50 |
| Band 6 | Entry step | £41,668 | £3,472 | £21.60 |
| Band 6 | Mid step | £43,503 | £3,625 | £22.55 |
| Band 6 | Top step | £50,775 | £4,231 | £26.32 |
| Band 7 | Entry step | £50,935 | £4,245 | £26.40 |
| Band 7 | Mid step | £52,880 | £4,407 | £27.41 |
| Band 7 | Top step | £59,244 | £4,937 | £30.71 |
| Band 8a | Entry step | £62,772 | £5,231 | £32.54 |
| Band 8a | Top step | £67,762 | £5,647 | £35.12 |
| Band 8b | Entry step | £74,109 | £6,176 | £38.41 |
| Band 8b | Top step | £79,278 | £6,607 | £41.09 |
| Band 8c | Entry step | £87,526 | £7,294 | £45.37 |
| Band 8c | Top step | £93,820 | £7,818 | £48.63 |
| Band 8d | Entry step | £103,913 | £8,659 | £53.86 |
| Band 8d | Top step | £108,362 | £9,030 | £56.17 |
| Band 9 | Entry step | £122,912 | £10,243 | £63.71 |
| Band 9 | Top step | £128,236 | £10,686 | £66.47 |
Award applied: 4.4% (adjusted from 4.25% — inflation guarantee triggered). Effective 2025-04-01. Hourly = annual ÷ (37 × 52.143). Source: Scottish Government publications — PCS(AFC)2026/1 Annex B.
Wales
| Band | Step | Annual | Monthly (Gross) | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | Single step | £24,833 | £2,069 | £12.70 |
| Band 2 | Single step | £24,833 | £2,069 | £12.70 |
| Band 3 | Entry step | £25,313 | £2,109 | £12.95 |
| Band 3 | Top step | £26,999 | £2,250 | £13.81 |
| Band 4 | Entry step | £27,898 | £2,325 | £14.27 |
| Band 4 | Top step | £30,615 | £2,551 | £15.66 |
| Band 5 | Entry step | £31,516 | £2,626 | £16.12 |
| Band 5 | Mid step | £33,992 | £2,833 | £17.38 |
| Band 5 | Top step | £38,364 | £3,197 | £19.62 |
| Band 6 | Entry step | £39,263 | £3,272 | £20.08 |
| Band 6 | Mid step | £41,437 | £3,453 | £21.19 |
| Band 6 | Top step | £47,280 | £3,940 | £24.18 |
| Band 7 | Entry step | £48,527 | £4,044 | £24.82 |
| Band 7 | Mid step | £51,028 | £4,252 | £26.10 |
| Band 7 | Top step | £55,532 | £4,628 | £28.40 |
| Band 8a | Entry step | £56,514 | £4,710 | £28.90 |
| Band 8a | Mid step | £59,358 | £4,947 | £30.36 |
| Band 8a | Top step | £63,623 | £5,302 | £32.54 |
| Band 8b | Entry step | £65,424 | £5,452 | £33.46 |
| Band 8b | Mid step | £69,653 | £5,804 | £35.62 |
| Band 8b | Top step | £76,021 | £6,335 | £38.88 |
| Band 8c | Entry step | £78,120 | £6,510 | £39.95 |
| Band 8c | Mid step | £82,876 | £6,906 | £42.38 |
| Band 8c | Top step | £90,013 | £7,501 | £46.03 |
| Band 8d | Entry step | £92,713 | £7,726 | £47.41 |
| Band 8d | Mid step | £98,395 | £8,200 | £50.32 |
| Band 8d | Top step | £106,919 | £8,910 | £54.68 |
| Band 9 | Entry step | £110,818 | £9,235 | £56.67 |
| Band 9 | Mid step | £117,499 | £9,792 | £60.09 |
| Band 9 | Top step | £127,523 | £10,627 | £65.22 |
Award applied: 3.6%. Effective 2025-04-01. Hourly = annual ÷ (37.5 × 52.143). Source: NHS Wales — AfC(W) 02/2025.
Northern Ireland
| Band | Step | Annual | Monthly (Gross) | Hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | Single step | £24,465 | £2,039 | £12.51 |
| Band 2 | Single step | £24,465 | £2,039 | £12.51 |
| Band 3 | Entry step | £24,937 | £2,078 | £12.75 |
| Band 3 | Top step | £26,598 | £2,217 | £13.60 |
| Band 4 | Entry step | £27,485 | £2,290 | £14.06 |
| Band 4 | Top step | £30,162 | £2,514 | £15.43 |
| Band 5 | Entry step | £31,049 | £2,587 | £15.88 |
| Band 5 | Mid step | £33,487 | £2,791 | £17.13 |
| Band 5 | Top step | £37,796 | £3,150 | £19.33 |
| Band 6 | Entry step | £38,682 | £3,224 | £19.78 |
| Band 6 | Mid step | £40,823 | £3,402 | £20.88 |
| Band 6 | Top step | £46,580 | £3,882 | £23.82 |
| Band 7 | Entry step | £47,810 | £3,984 | £24.45 |
| Band 7 | Mid step | £50,273 | £4,189 | £25.71 |
| Band 7 | Top step | £54,710 | £4,559 | £27.98 |
| Band 8a | Entry step | £55,690 | £4,641 | £28.48 |
| Band 8a | Mid step | £58,487 | £4,874 | £29.91 |
| Band 8a | Top step | £62,682 | £5,224 | £32.06 |
| Band 8b | Entry step | £64,455 | £5,371 | £32.96 |
| Band 8b | Mid step | £68,631 | £5,719 | £35.10 |
| Band 8b | Top step | £74,896 | £6,241 | £38.30 |
| Band 8c | Entry step | £76,965 | £6,414 | £39.36 |
| Band 8c | Mid step | £81,652 | £6,804 | £41.76 |
| Band 8c | Top step | £88,682 | £7,390 | £45.35 |
| Band 8d | Entry step | £91,342 | £7,612 | £46.71 |
| Band 8d | Mid step | £96,941 | £8,078 | £49.58 |
| Band 8d | Top step | £105,337 | £8,778 | £53.87 |
| Band 9 | Entry step | £109,179 | £9,098 | £55.84 |
| Band 9 | Mid step | £115,763 | £9,647 | £59.20 |
| Band 9 | Top step | £125,637 | £10,470 | £64.25 |
Effective 2025-04-01. Hourly = annual ÷ (37.5 × 52.143). Source: DoH NI — HSC (AfC)(4) 2025.
High Cost Area Supplement, 2025/26
England only. A percentage of basic pay, bounded by an annual minimum and maximum, pro-rated for part-time staff and pensionable.
| Zone | Rate | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% | £5,609 | £8,466 |
| Outer London | 15% | £4,714 | £5,941 |
| Fringe | 5% | £1,303 | £2,198 |
Reading These Tables
Each band has two or three steps. You join at the entry step and become eligible for the next after a published minimum period: two years per step in bands 2, 3 and 5, three years in band 4, and two years then three more in bands 6 and 7. Bands 8a to 9 have followed the band 6 pattern since 2024/25 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; before that, and still in Scotland, they had one step after five years. See how long each pay step takes.
Hourly rates are the annual figure divided by the nation's standard working week times 52.143 weeks. Scotland's week is shorter, which is why its hourly rates look higher relative to the annual figure.
These are basic pay only. Unsocial hours, London weighting and on-call are on top — the calculator includes them.