What does the NHS Pay Calculator (Agenda for Change) do?

Calculate NHS salary, take-home pay and hourly rate by Agenda for Change pay band. All calculations are performed in your browser using official UK rates and thresholds.

Is this calculator based on 2025/26 rates?

Yes. This calculator uses the current 2025/26 UK tax year rates for income tax, National Insurance and other deductions, effective from 6 April 2025.

Does this include pension contributions?

This calculator can factor in workplace pension contributions. Under auto-enrolment, the minimum is 8% total (5% employee + 3% employer) of qualifying earnings.

NHS Pay Calculator (Agenda for Change)

Calculate NHS salary, take-home pay and hourly rate by Agenda for Change pay band.

Last updated: April 2026 · Source: NHS Employers — Agenda for Change pay scales

AFC Band

Pay Point (% through band)

Bottom (£29,970.00)Top (£36,483.00)

Band 5 Salary

£33,226.50

Take home: £2,286.89/month

Monthly Gross

£2,768.88

Weekly

£638.97

Hourly

£17.04

Annual Take Home

£27,442.68

Disclaimer

This calculator is provided for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial or tax advice. All calculations are performed locally in your browser — no personal data is collected or sent to our servers. Rates and thresholds are sourced from HMRC and GOV.UK and are updated for the current tax year. Always verify results with HMRC or consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions.

How It Works

NHS pay in England is structured under the Agenda for Change (AfC) framework, which groups roles into nine pay bands. Each band has multiple pay points (incremental steps) that staff progress through annually based on length of service. For 2025/26, Band 5 (newly qualified nurses) starts at around £29,970 rising to £36,483.

In addition to basic pay, many NHS staff receive High Cost Area Supplements (HCAS) for working in London and surrounding areas: Inner London (20% up to £8,096), Outer London (15% up to £5,329) and Fringe (5% up to £1,929). Unsociable hours, on-call and overtime attract additional premiums.

This calculator takes your band, pay point and location to show your total gross pay including any HCAS. It then calculates take-home pay after income tax, NI and NHS Pension contributions (the NHS Pension scheme has tiered contribution rates from 5.2% to 13.5% based on pensionable pay).

Example: Band 6, pay point 3, Outer London

Basic pay: £37,338
Outer London HCAS (15%, capped): £5,329
Total gross: £42,667
NHS Pension contribution (9.8%): £4,181
Estimated take-home after tax, NI and pension: approx. £31,200

Source: NHS Employers — Agenda for Change pay scales

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the NHS Pay Calculator (Agenda for Change) do?: Calculate NHS salary, take-home pay and hourly rate by Agenda for Change pay band. All calculations are performed in your browser using official UK rates and thresholds.
Is this calculator based on 2025/26 rates?: Yes. This calculator uses the current 2025/26 UK tax year rates for income tax, National Insurance and other deductions, effective from 6 April 2025.
Does this include pension contributions?: This calculator can factor in workplace pension contributions. Under auto-enrolment, the minimum is 8% total (5% employee + 3% employer) of qualifying earnings.