NHS Take Home Pay Calculator

NHS take home pay is calculated by starting with your gross annual salary (based on your Agenda for Change pay band) and subtracting three mandatory deductions: income tax (based on HMRC tax bands), National Insurance contributions (13.25% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270, then 3.25% above), and NHS pension contributions (tiered from 5.2% to 13.5%). Optional deductions like student loan repayments may also apply. Our calculator above handles all of these automatically.

The NHS Agenda for Change framework has 9 pay bands for 2025/26. Salaries range from £23,615 (Band 1, entry level) up to £121,271 (top of Band 9). Each band has multiple pay points with annual increments. Band 5 nurses start at £29,970, while Band 6 and 7 senior staff earn £37,338 to £52,809. See the complete pay bands guide for full details.

NHS pension contributions are tiered based on your pensionable pay. Rates for 2025/26 range from 5.2% (earnings up to £13,246) to 13.5% (earnings above £91,536). Most Band 5 nurses pay around 9.8%, while Band 7+ staff typically pay 10.7% or more. The NHS pension scheme is a defined benefit scheme and widely considered one of the best pension schemes available in the UK. Read our full pension guide for all tier rates.

Yes. Scotland has its own income tax rates set by the Scottish Parliament, which differ from the rest of the UK. Scottish NHS staff on the same pay band can take home a different amount compared to colleagues in England or Wales. For most mid-range bands, Scottish workers pay slightly more tax. Our calculator includes a Scotland tax option to show the exact difference. Read our detailed Scotland vs England NHS pay comparison with worked examples.

NHS unsocial hours payments are enhancements paid to staff who work outside standard weekday hours (Monday to Friday, 7am to 8pm). The rates are: Saturday (time plus 30%), Sunday (time plus 60%), and weekday nights/public holidays (time plus 30% to 60% depending on the time). These enhancements are paid on top of basic pay and are also pensionable. Unsocial hours pay can significantly boost take home pay for shift workers.

NHS staff working in and around London receive a High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS), commonly called London weighting. There are three zones: Inner London (£5,000+ per year extra), Outer London (£3,500+ per year extra), and Fringe areas (around £1,000 per year extra). This supplement is added to basic pay before tax calculations, so your actual take home increase will be lower after deductions. See our Band 6 and 7 salary guide which includes London weighting analysis.

Student loan repayments are deducted automatically through PAYE if you earn above the threshold. Plan 1 (pre-2012): 9% above £22,015. Plan 2 (post-2012): 9% above £27,295. Plan 4 (Scotland): 9% above £27,660. Plan 5 (post-2023): 9% above £25,000. Postgraduate loans: 6% above £21,000. Many NHS nurses and allied health professionals will have Plan 2 student loans. Our calculator includes all plan types for accurate take home pay calculations.

NHS staff receive an annual pay increment each year on their incremental date (usually the anniversary of starting in their current band) until they reach the top of their pay band. Increments move you up one pay point within your band. For example, a Band 5 nurse progresses through pay points from £29,970 to £36,483 over several years. Once at the top of band, no further increments apply unless you are promoted to a higher band. See our pay bands guide for all pay point details.