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How much do nurses earn in the UK?

NHS nurse pay in England follows the Agenda for Change bands. A newly qualified nurse starts on Band 5 and can progress to Band 6, Band 7 and into the Band 8 range. Here is the 2026/27 pay for each band, with London weighting, from the official NHS Employers scales.

Reference period: July 2026. Figures are drawn directly from the official sources named on this page.

Agenda for Change 2026/27, effective 1 April 2026 · NHS Employers · England · basic pay excludes enhancements and pension

How much do nurses earn in the UK?

In the NHS in England, a newly qualified nurse starts on Agenda for Change Band 5 at £32,073 and progresses to £39,043 within the band (2026/27, per NHS Employers). Experienced and specialist nurses move to Band 6 (£39,959 to £48,117) and Band 7 (£49,387 to £56,515); a Band 8a consultant or advanced nurse earns £57,528 to £64,750. London weighting adds 5% to 20% on top.

Source:NHS Employers — Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27·as of April 2026 (2026/27 pay year)updated annually, on the 1 April pay award (last: )

Nurse pay by NHS band

Nursing pay is set by band, not by job title. A newly qualified nurse enters at Band 5; specialist experience, advanced practice and management move a nurse up through Bands 6, 7 and 8. Each band has a bottom and top figure, and you progress up within the band with years of service. London posts add a High Cost Area Supplement of 5% to 20% on top.

NHS nurse basic pay by band, 2026/27 (England)
BandBasic pay (2026/27)Typical nursing roleWith Inner London weighting
Band 5£32,073 to £39,043Newly qualified nurse£38,488+ in Inner London
Band 6£39,959 to £48,117Specialist / senior nurse£47,951+ in Inner London
Band 7£49,387 to £56,515Advanced nurse practitioner, ward manager£59,264+ in Inner London
Band 8a£57,528 to £64,750Consultant / advanced practitioner nurse£69,034+ in Inner London

Internationally trained nurses

Overseas nurses join the same pay bands once registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Reaching that point has its own cost: the NMC's Test of Competence route totals £1,170 in NMC fees (£140 evaluation, £83 CBT, £794 OSCE, £153 registration), before the English test, visa and travel. See the full relocation cost breakdown.

UK nurse salary: frequently asked questions

How much does a newly qualified nurse earn in the UK?
A newly qualified nurse in the NHS in England starts on Band 5, which is £32,073 to £39,043 in basic pay for 2026/27 (source: NHS Employers). New starters begin at the bottom of the band and move up with experience. London weighting adds 5% to 20% on top of basic pay.
How much do experienced and specialist nurses earn?
Experienced nurses typically progress to Band 6 (£39,959 to £48,117) and then Band 7 (£49,387 to £56,515) as specialist nurses, advanced nurse practitioners or ward managers. Senior clinical and leadership nursing roles reach Band 8a (£57,528 to £64,750) and above.
Do nurses earn more than their basic pay?
Usually, yes. Basic pay excludes unsocial-hours enhancements for nights, weekends and bank holidays, plus any overtime, bank shifts and London weighting. For nurses working a rota with regular unsocial hours, gross pay is often meaningfully above the basic band figure.
What does it cost an international nurse to register with the NMC?
For internationally trained nurses taking the Test of Competence route, the NMC's own published fees total £1,170: a £140 qualification evaluation, the £83 computer-based test (CBT), the £794 OSCE and a £153 registration fee. That excludes the English test, visa and travel — see our relocation cost breakdown.
How does UK nurse pay compare across the NHS bands?
The nursing ladder runs from Band 5 (newly qualified, £32,073 to £39,043) up through Band 6, Band 7 and into the Band 8 range for consultant nurses and senior leaders. Moving up a band, not just up within a band, is the main way nurses increase NHS pay.

Turn your nursing experience into flexible online income

GeraClinic is a separate remote platform where UK-registered clinicians can offer online consultations on their own schedule and fee — a way to add to NHS pay without extra ward shifts.

See flexible work for nursesFull NHS pay scales

Contains public sector information published by NHS Employers and licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS Employers — Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27 (April 2026 (2026/27 pay year)).

Source: NMC — Information for internationally trained applicants (July 2026).

This page is independent educational information for people researching UK healthcare qualification, registration and pay of their own accord. It is not legal, immigration, financial or careers advice, and it is not a job offer. Gera Systems Ltd is not a medical regulator and is not a recruitment agency — it does not register clinicians and does not place anyone into NHS or other UK jobs. Fees, pay scales and immigration rules change periodically — always confirm the current figure with the named source (NHS Employers, GMC, NMC and GOV.UK) before making any decision.

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