NHS take-home pay calculator 2026/27 | Money Worked Out
This calculator works out take-home pay for NHS staff on Agenda for Change pay in England or Scotland for the 2026/27 tax year. It takes off income tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension contribution for the band, point and hours chosen. Each band also has its own page with a table for every point.
| Band | Salary | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | £25,272 | £20,403.10 | £1,700.26 |
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £20,403.10 | £1,700.26 |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £20,729.08 | £1,727.42 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | £22,487.26 | £1,873.94 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £24,484.31 | £2,040.36 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £29,159.10 | £2,429.93 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £35,208.10 | £2,934.01 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £40,233.94 | £3,352.83 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £44,904 | £3,742 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £50,710.52 | £4,225.88 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £58,210.78 | £4,850.90 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £67,515.91 | £5,626.33 |
Where the pay scales come from
The England figures use the Agenda for Change scale published by NHS Employers for 2026/27. NHS Scotland sets its own scale through a separate pay circular, and its rates are higher at every band, so the calculator treats Scotland as a separate scale as well as a separate tax system.
NHS Wales and Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland also publish their own scales. Those scales are not included here, so the England option does not describe pay in those two nations. Every source is listed on the sources page with the date it was checked.
How the NHS Pension contribution is set
Both the England and the Scottish scheme use tiers. The tier depends on the salary actually paid, and its rate then applies to the whole of that salary. A pay rise that crosses into a new tier therefore raises the contribution on every pound, which is why a step up a pay point can add less take-home than the raise suggests.
For part-time staff the tier is set by the part-time pay they actually receive. Someone working fewer hours can land in a lower tier and pay a lower rate. The calculator scales the salary by hours out of 37.5 hours a week before it looks up the tier.
The contribution is taken from pay before income tax, so it reduces the tax bill. It does not reduce National Insurance, which is charged on the full salary.
What the results assume
The results use the standard tax code and basic pay only, with no overtime, unsocial hours payments or other income. A student loan can be added in the calculator. Figures are for a whole tax year, so a monthly payslip may differ by a few pence. The methodology page gives the full method, and the general take-home pay calculator covers salaries outside the NHS. Teachers can use the teacher pay calculator.
Questions
Does the calculator cover NHS Wales or Northern Ireland?
No. Both nations publish their own Agenda for Change scales, which differ from England's. The calculator covers the England and Scotland scales for 2026/27 only.
Why does my NHS Pension rate change when I go part time?
The contribution tier is based on the pay actually received, so a part-time salary is placed by its own amount. Lower part-time pay can fall in a lower tier with a lower rate.
Are overtime and unsocial hours included?
No. The figures cover basic Agenda for Change pay only. Extra payments add to taxable pay, so actual take-home in a month with overtime or unsocial hours can be higher than shown.
Is the NHS Pension taken before or after tax?
Before income tax. The contribution comes off pay before income tax is worked out, so the member pays less income tax. National Insurance is still charged on the full salary.