NHS Pay, Pension & Leave Calculators
The NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) agreement sets pay for most NHS staff in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In England 2026/27, salaries run from £25,272 at Band 2 to £129,783 at Band 9 top, after a 3.3% pay award from 1 April 2026. Use our calculators and band guides to find your gross pay, NHS pension tier and take-home pay.
Figures verified against NHS Employers AfC pay scales on .
Written by James HartleyCIMA
What is NHS Agenda for Change?
Agenda for Change (AfC) is the national pay system for most NHS staff in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, covering roughly one million employees. It replaced local pay scales in 2004 and sets unified terms for pay bands, spinal points, unsocial hours, pension and annual leave. Jobs are matched to bands using the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme, a points-based system across 16 factors.
How NHS pay works in 2026/27
Your basic salary is determined by your AfC band and pay point (spinal column step). Gross pay may include High Cost Area Supplement in London (England only), unsocial hours enhancements and on-call allowances. Take-home pay is gross minus NHS pension (a cliff-edge tier on whole salary), income tax, National Insurance and any student loan, in that order. Pension is deducted before tax, so you receive tax relief immediately.
England and Wales received a 3.3% consolidated uplift from 1 April 2026. Scotland has a separate 3.75% multi-year deal. Northern Ireland follows the NHSPRB recommendation in cash terms. Incremental progression moves you up one pay point every two to three years, typically capping at the top of your band within four to five years. For the full England scale across all bands, see NHS pay bands.
NHS calculators and tools
NHS Pay & Take-Home Calculator 2026/27
Work out net pay by AfC band, pay point, nation, hours, HCAS and NHS pension tier, after tax, NI and student loan.
NHS Pay Bands 2026/27: Full AfC Scales
Complete pay band table from Band 2 (£25,272) to Band 9 (£129,783), progression rules and four-nation differences.
NHS Pension Contribution Calculator
Model NHS pension tier, employee and employer contributions from pensionable pay.
NHS Annual Leave Calculator
Calculate pro-rata annual leave entitlement for part-time and term-time AfC staff.
NHS pay band guides
Per-band salary, pension tier behaviour, progression and take-home, figures generated from official 2026/27 AfC scales.
- Band 2 salary & take-home 2026/27£25,272 gross
- Band 3 salary & take-home 2026/27£25,760 to £27,476 gross
- Band 4 salary & take-home 2026/27£28,392 to £31,157 gross
- Band 5 salary & take-home 2026/27£32,073 to £39,043 gross
- Band 6 salary & take-home 2026/27£39,959 to £48,117 gross
- Band 7 salary & take-home 2026/27£49,387 to £56,515 gross
- Band 8a salary & take-home 2026/27£57,528 to £64,750 gross
- Band 8b salary & take-home 2026/27£66,582 to £77,368 gross
- Band 8c salary & take-home 2026/27£79,504 to £91,609 gross
- Band 8d salary & take-home 2026/27£94,356 to £108,814 gross
- Band 9 salary & take-home 2026/27£112,782 to £129,783 gross
Quick reference: England 2026/27
| Band | Entry | Top |
|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £25,272 |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £27,476 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | £31,157 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £39,043 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £48,117 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £56,515 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £64,750 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £77,368 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £91,609 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £108,814 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £129,783 |
Not on AfC? Use the general UK salary calculator for any gross salary, or the income tax calculator to see how tax bands apply. Figures verified against NHS Employers and NHSBSA, last updated 15 June 2026.