NHS Pay Scales 2025/26 (Expected 3.5% Pay Rise and Band 2/3 Updates)
March 15, 2025
In the spring or early summer of 2025, the UK government will announce the new NHS pay deal. This page will be updated as more information becomes available, helping to predict what the 2025/26 pay rise might look like for NHS staff in England. Here’s a breakdown of how the expected pay rise will affect each NHS Agenda for Change band.
What Will the NHS Pay Rise Be for 2025/26?
The exact pay increase will be announced when the NHS Pay Review Body publishes their report. However, based on available data and government policy, we are predicting a 3.5% pay rise.
This prediction is based on:
- Government Recommendations: In December 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) suggested a 2.8% pay rise. This is just a suggestion and not final, as the NHS Pay Review Body will consider this and input from unions. The minimum rise is likely to be at least 2.8%.
- NHS Budget for 2025/26: The NHS budget, announced in October 2024, allows for staffing costs to rise by 3-4%. Some staff, especially those on Band 2 (who earn the National Minimum Wage), may see a bigger rise if the minimum wage increases more than 2.8%.
- Inflation and the Economy: Inflation increased slightly in December 2024 (2.6%). A rise below inflation would likely lead to strikes, but a pay rise above 5% is unlikely due to the UK’s economic situation.
- Union Concerns and Strike Threats: NHS unions, including the Royal College of Nursing, were unhappy with the DHSC’s 2.8% suggestion, calling it “insulting.” This could lead them to push for a higher pay rise, possibly around 3% or more to avoid further strikes.
When Will the NHS Pay Rise Be Announced?
NHS pay rises are expected to be announced by April, but in recent years, they’ve been delayed. The announcement for 2025/26 is expected around mid-April or May 2025.
To calculate your NHS take home pay, please use our tool here.
What’s Happening with NHS Band 2 and Band 3 Pay?
From April 1, 2025, NHS Band 2 and Band 3 salaries will increase to match changes in the National Living Wage (minimum wage). These increases are separate from the main pay deal.
Band 2:
- New Salary: £24,169 (up 2.35%)
Band 3:
- Staff with less than 2 years’ experience: New salary £24,625 (up 2.3%)
- Staff with more than 2 years’ experience: New salary £26,573 (up from £25,674)
Predicted Pay Increases by Band (3.5% Rise)
Here’s a quick look at the predicted salary increases based on the expected 3.5% rise for NHS staff:
Band 1
- Note: Band 1 no longer exists for new contracts, and existing staff are paid as Band 2.
Band 2
- Current Salary: £23,614
- Predicted Salary: £24,441
(Minimum salary of £24,169 from April 2025 due to National Living Wage increase)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0+ | £23,614 | £24,441 | £30,045 | £29,152 | £25,743 |
Band 3
- Current Salary: £24,072
- Predicted Salary: £24,914
(Staff with more than 2 years’ experience will earn £26,573)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £24,072 | £24,914 | £30,519 | £29,626 | £26,216 |
| 2+ | £25,674 | £26,573 | £32,178 | £31,284 | £27,902 |
Band 4
- Current Salary: £26,529
- Predicted Salary: £27,458
(After 3 years’ experience, salary increases to £30,133)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-3 | £26,529 | £27,458 | £33,062 | £32,169 | £28,830 |
| 3+ | £29,114 | £30,133 | £36,159 | £34,844 | £31,639 |
Band 5
- Current Salary: £29,970
- Predicted Salary: £31,019
(After 2 years’ experience, salary increases to £33,455)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £29,970 | £31,019 | £37,223 | £35,731 | £32,570 |
| 2-4 | £32,324 | £33,455 | £40,147 | £38,474 | £35,128 |
| 4+ | £36,483 | £37,760 | £45,312 | £43,424 | £39,648 |
Band 6
- Current Salary: £37,339
- Predicted Salary: £38,644
(After 2 years, salary increases to £40,784)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £37,339 | £38,644 | £46,373 | £44,441 | £40,577 |
| 2-5 | £39,404 | £40,784 | £48,941 | £46,720 | £42,824 |
| 5+ | £44,961 | £46,535 | £54,992 | £52,470 | £48,730 |
Band 7
- Current Salary: £46,148
- Predicted Salary: £47,763
(After 2 years, salary increases to £50,224)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £46,148 | £47,763 | £56,220 | £53,699 | £49,958 |
| 2-5 | £48,526 | £50,224 | £58,681 | £56,160 | £52,419 |
| 5+ | £52,808 | £54,656 | £63,113 | £60,592 | £56,852 |
Band 8a
- Current Salary: £50,952
- Predicted Salary: £53,754
(After 5 years’ experience, salary increases to £62,622)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £53,754 | £55,636 | £64,093 | £61,571 | £57,831 |
| 2-5 | £56,454 | £58,430 | £66,887 | £64,366 | £60,625 |
| 5+ | £60,504 | £62,622 | £71,079 | £68,558 | £64,817 |
Band 8b
- Current Salary: £62,215
- Predicted Salary: £64,393
(After 5 years, salary increases to £74,829)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £62,215 | £64,393 | £72,850 | £70,328 | £66,588 |
| 2-5 | £66,247 | £68,566 | £77,023 | £74,501 | £70,761 |
| 5+ | £72,299 | £74,829 | £83,286 | £80,765 | £77,025 |
Band 8c
- Current Salary: £74,290
- Predicted Salary: £76,890
(After 5 years, salary increases to £88,597)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £74,290 | £76,890 | £85,347 | £82,826 | £79,085 |
| 2-5 | £78,814 | £81,572 | £90,029 | £87,508 | £83,768 |
| 5+ | £85,601 | £88,597 | £97,054 | £94,532 | £90,792 |
Band 8d
- Current Salary: £88,167
- Predicted Salary: £91,253
(After 5 years, salary increases to £105,235)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £88,167 | £91,253 | £99,710 | £97,189 | £93,448 |
| 2-5 | £93,571 | £96,846 | £105,303 | £102,782 | £99,041 |
| 5+ | £101,677 | £105,235 | £113,692 | £111,171 | £107,431 |
Band 9
- Current Salary: £105,480
- Predicted Salary: £109,172
(After 5 years, salary increases to £125,515)
| Experience | 2024/25 Salary | 2025/26 Salary | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0-2 | £105,480 | £109,172 | £117,629 | £115,107 | £111,367 |
| 2-5 | £111,739 | £115,650 | £124,107 | £121,586 | £117,845 |
| 5+ | £121,270 | £125,515 | £133,972 | £131,450 | £127,710 |
Changes to High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) for 2025/26
The High-Cost Area Supplement (HCAS), or “London Weighting,” is expected to increase by 3.5%. Here are the predicted payments:
| Area | HCAS Rate | 2024/25 Payment | 2025/26 Payment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% | £5,415 | £5,605 |
| Outer London | 15% | £4,552 | £4,711 |
| Fringe | 5% | £1,258 | £1,302 |
These increases apply only to London-based staff and are separate from the general pay rise.