NHS Pay Rates for 2026/27

The government announced the new NHS pay rates for 2026/27 on Thursday 12 February. This covers all staff whose pay is set by the NHS Pay Review Body.

All NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts will get a 3.3% pay rise added to their basic salary.

The Electronic Staff Record (ESR) team has received all the details. They have confirmed that staff will see the pay increase in their April payslips.

The Department of Health and Social Care will also hold talks with unions and employers to improve the pay system. These changes will build on earlier work looking at longer-term pay deals. Extra funding has been set aside for these improvements. When agreed, some staff will receive additional pay rises backdated to 1 April 2026. The main goals are to increase pay for lower-paid bands and improve pay for newly qualified graduates in all roles.

The updated pay rates are shown below. These include the Higher Cost Area Supplements (HCAS) for staff working in and around London.

Yearly Salary Rates

Bands 1 to 4

Band	Starting Pay	Years to Next Step	Top of Band	Note
Band 1*	£25,272	–	–	No longer hiring
Band 2	£25,272	2 years	£25,272
Band 3	£25,760	2 years	£27,476
Band 4	£28,392	3 years	£31,157

Bands 5 to 9

Band	Starting	Years	Middle	Years	Top	Note
Band 5	£32,073	2	£34,592	2	£39,043
Band 6	£39,959	2	£42,170	3	£48,117
Band 7	£49,387	2	£51,932	3	£56,515
Band 8a	£57,528	2	£60,417	3	£64,750
Band 8b	£66,582	2	£70,896	3	£77,368
Band 8c	£79,504	2	£84,346	3	£91,609
Band 8d	£94,356	2	£100,140	3	£108,814
Band 9	£112,782	2	£119,583	3	£129,783

* Band 1 is no longer open to new staff

Hourly Pay Rates

Bands 1 to 4

Band	Starting Pay	Years to Next Step	Top of Band	Note
Band 1*	£12.92	–	–	No longer hiring
Band 2	£12.92	2 years	£12.92
Band 3	£13.17	2 years	£14.05
Band 4	£14.52	3 years	£15.93

Bands 5 to 9

Band	Starting	Years	Middle	Years	Top	Note
Band 5	£16.40	2	£17.69	2	£19.97
Band 6	£20.44	2	£21.57	3	£24.61
Band 7	£25.26	2	£26.56	3	£28.90
Band 8a	£29.42	2	£30.90	3	£33.11
Band 8b	£34.05	2	£36.26	3	£39.57
Band 8c	£40.66	2	£43.14	3	£46.85
Band 8d	£48.26	2	£51.21	3	£55.65
Band 9	£57.68	2	£61.16	3	£66.37

* Band 1 is no longer open to new staff

London Pay Rates (Inner London)

Staff working in Inner London receive extra pay. The amounts below show the total pay including this London allowance.

Band	Pay Point	Yearly Pay	Hourly Pay	Note
1*	Entry	£31,066	£15.89	No longer hiring
2	Entry	£31,066	£15.89
2	Top	£31,066	£15.89
3	Entry	£31,554	£16.14
3	Top	£33,270	£17.01
4	Entry	£34,186	£17.48
4	Top	£37,389	£19.12
5	Entry	£38,488	£19.68
5	Mid	£41,511	£21.23
5	Top	£46,852	£23.96
6	Entry	£47,951	£24.52
6	Mid	£50,604	£25.88
6	Top	£56,863	£29.08
7	Entry	£58,133	£29.73
7	Mid	£60,678	£31.03
7	Top	£65,261	£33.38
8a	Entry	£66,274	£33.89
8a	Mid	£69,163	£35.37
8a	Top	£73,496	£37.59
8b	Entry	£75,328	£38.52
8b	Mid	£79,642	£40.73
8b	Top	£86,114	£44.04
8c	Entry	£88,250	£45.13
8c	Mid	£93,092	£47.61
8c	Top	£100,355	£51.32
8d	Entry	£103,102	£52.73
8d	Mid	£108,886	£55.69
8d	Top	£117,560	£60.12
9	Entry	£121,528	£62.15
9	Mid	£128,329	£65.63
9	Top	£138,529	£70.85

* Band 1 is no longer open to new staff

London Pay Rates (Outer London)

Staff working in Outer London receive extra pay. The amounts below show the total pay including this London allowance.

Band	Pay Point	Yearly Pay	Hourly Pay	Note
1*	Entry	£30,142	£15.42	No longer hiring
2	Entry	£30,142	£15.42
2	Top	£30,142	£15.42
3	Entry	£30,630	£15.66
3	Top	£32,346	£16.54
4	Entry	£33,262	£17.01
4	Top	£36,027	£18.42
5	Entry	£36,943	£18.89
5	Mid	£39,781	£20.34
5	Top	£44,900	£22.96
6	Entry	£45,953	£23.50
6	Mid	£48,307	£24.70
6	Top	£54,254	£27.75
7	Entry	£55,524	£28.40
7	Mid	£58,069	£29.70
7	Top	£62,652	£32.04
8a	Entry	£63,665	£32.56
8a	Mid	£66,554	£34.04
8a	Top	£70,887	£36.25
8b	Entry	£72,719	£37.19
8b	Mid	£77,033	£39.40
8b	Top	£83,505	£42.71
8c	Entry	£85,641	£43.80
8c	Mid	£90,483	£46.27
8c	Top	£97,746	£49.99
8d	Entry	£100,493	£51.39
8d	Mid	£106,277	£54.35
8d	Top	£114,951	£58.79
9	Entry	£118,919	£60.82
9	Mid	£125,720	£64.30
9	Top	£135,920	£69.51

* Band 1 is no longer open to new staff

London Pay Rates (Fringe Areas)

Staff working in areas around London (the fringe) receive extra pay. The amounts below show the total pay including this allowance.

Band	Pay Point	Yearly Pay	Hourly Pay	Note
1*	Entry	£26,618	£13.61	No longer hiring
2	Entry	£26,618	£13.61
2	Top	£26,618	£13.61
3	Entry	£27,106	£13.86
3	Top	£28,850	£14.75
4	Entry	£29,812	£15.25
4	Top	£32,715	£16.73
5	Entry	£33,677	£17.22
5	Mid	£36,322	£18.58
5	Top	£40,996	£20.97
6	Entry	£41,957	£21.46
6	Mid	£44,279	£22.64
6	Top	£50,387	£25.77
7	Entry	£51,657	£26.42
7	Mid	£54,202	£27.72
7	Top	£58,785	£30.06
8a	Entry	£59,798	£30.58
8a	Mid	£62,687	£32.06
8a	Top	£67,020	£34.28
8b	Entry	£68,852	£35.21
8b	Mid	£73,166	£37.42
8b	Top	£79,638	£40.73
8c	Entry	£81,774	£41.82
8c	Mid	£86,616	£44.30
8c	Top	£93,879	£48.01
8d	Entry	£96,626	£49.42
8d	Mid	£102,410	£52.37
8d	Top	£111,084	£56.81
9	Entry	£115,052	£58.84
9	Mid	£121,853	£62.32
9	Top	£132,053	£67.53

* Band 1 is no longer open to new staff