This article is part of our guide: Work as a nurse in the UK.
NHS pay scales show salaries before deductions. What lands in your bank account is lower, because three things come out of every payslip: the NHS Pension contribution, income tax and National Insurance. This guide shows the take-home pay for nurses in England on the 2026/27 Agenda for Change scales.
Short answer: a newly qualified Band 5 nurse on £32,073 takes home about £2,040 a month (about £24,480 a year) before any extra pay for nights, weekends or bank holidays.
Take-home pay by band (England, 2026/27)
| Band and point | Gross salary | Pension | Income tax | National Insurance | Take-home a year | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 entry | £32,073 | £2,662 | £3,368 | £1,560 | £24,483 | £2,040 |
| Band 5 middle | £34,592 | £2,871 | £3,830 | £1,762 | £26,129 | £2,177 |
| Band 5 top | £39,043 | £3,826 | £4,529 | £2,118 | £28,570 | £2,381 |
| Band 6 entry | £39,959 | £3,916 | £4,695 | £2,191 | £29,157 | £2,430 |
| Band 6 top | £48,117 | £4,715 | £6,166 | £2,844 | £34,391 | £2,866 |
| Band 7 entry | £49,387 | £4,840 | £6,395 | £2,945 | £35,206 | £2,934 |
| Band 7 top | £56,515 | £6,047 | £7,619 | £3,141 | £39,708 | £3,309 |
How the deductions work
1. NHS Pension (5.2% to 12.5%)
Most nurses are enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme automatically. Your contribution rate depends on your pay and is taken before tax, so it also reduces your income tax bill. Your employer adds a much larger contribution on top.
| Pensionable pay (from 1 April 2026) | Your contribution |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,260 to £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,855 to £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,156 to £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,779 to £67,668 | 10.7% |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% |
2. Income tax
In England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the first £12,570 of taxable income is tax-free (the personal allowance). Income above that is taxed at 20% on the next £37,700, and at 40% above £50,270. Scotland has its own income tax bands, and Scottish NHS pay scales are also different.
3. National Insurance
Employees pay 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270 a year, and 2% above that. Pension contributions do not reduce National Insurance.
Extra pay that raises take-home
- Unsocial hours enhancements: nights, weekends and bank holidays are paid at a higher rate and can add several hundred pounds a month for ward nurses.
- High Cost Area Supplement: extra pay in and around London.
- Bank shifts: extra shifts through the hospital’s staff bank. Read how bank and agency nursing works.
- Overtime: paid at enhanced rates for Bands 1 to 7.
Things that can reduce your first payslips
- Emergency tax code: new arrivals are often put on a temporary code. It is usually corrected within one or two payslips, and any overpaid tax is refunded.
- Accommodation and loans: some trusts deduct rent for staff housing or repayments for relocation loans.
- Union and parking fees, if you choose them.
Is it enough to live on?
Rent is the biggest cost. A room in a shared house outside London often costs far less than a one-bedroom flat in the capital, so the same Band 5 take-home pay stretches much further in the north of England, Wales or Northern Ireland than in London. Our money plan for nurses moving abroad helps you budget for the first three months.
Related: NHS pay scales 2026/27 · Band 5 to Band 6 · Nurse salaries by country
Sources: NHS Employers, Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27 and NHS Pension Scheme member contribution tiers from 1 April 2026; HM Revenue and Customs, rates and thresholds for employers 2026 to 2027. Calculations are estimates for a single job and do not account for every personal circumstance.
Leave a Reply