NHS Take-Home Pay Calculator
Pick your Agenda for Change band or doctor grade and see your real net pay — after income tax, National Insurance, the NHS pension and student loan. With London weighting, less-than-full-time and Scotland. Every figure cited.
NHS take-home pay is your gross salary minus four deductions: your NHS pension contribution, income tax, National Insurance and any student-loan repayment. For the 2026/27 tax year (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027), a newly-qualified Band 5 nurse on £32,073 takes home about £2,040 a month in England with no London weighting or student loan. Your own figure depends on your band or grade, nation, hours, London zone, pension tier and student-loan plan — the calculator below works all four deductions out from published 2026/27 rates. Basic pay only: overtime, bank work and unsocial-hours enhancements are extra.
Work out your take-home pay
Selected basic: £32,073/yr (full time).
100 = full time. Use e.g. 60 for LTFT.
Estimated gross pay
£32,073
per year, basic pay
Estimated net take-home
£2,040/mo
£24,483 per year
An NHS Band 5 scenario on £32,073 gross takes home about £2,040 a month after pension, tax and National Insurance (England, 2026/27).
- Band 5, entry (newly-qualified nurse)
- £2,040/mo
- Band 6, entry (specialist nurse / AHP)
- £2,430/mo
- Foundation doctor (FY1)
- £2,442/mo
- Consultant, entry point
- £5,659/mo
+ 17 more not shown here. As of April 2026. Source: HMRC, gov.scot, NHS Employers & Student Loans Company, 2026/27.
Get your full monthly payslip breakdown
Enter your email and we send your complete gross-to-net breakdown, a band-vs-band comparison, and a plain-English guide to your first UK NHS payslip. Estimate only — not financial or tax advice.
NHS Pension Scheme 2026/27 contribution tiers
| Annual pensionable pay | 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% |
One rate applies to the whole of your pensionable pay, set by your actual annual pensionable pay. Source: NHS Employers, effective 1 April 2026.
The 2026/27 rates this calculator uses
Income tax (England, Wales & NI)
- Personal Allowance: £12,570
- Basic rate 20%: up to £50,270
- Higher rate 40%: £50,270–£125,140
- Additional rate 45%: over £125,140
National Insurance (UK-wide)
- Class 1, category A employee
- 8% between £12,570 and £50,270
- 2% above £50,270
NHS Pension Scheme member tiers
- 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%
Student loan thresholds
- Plan 1: 9% over £26,900
- Plan 2: 9% over £29,385
- Plan 4 (Scotland): 9% over £33,795
- Plan 5: 9% over £25,000
- Postgraduate Loan: 6% over £21,000
Frequently asked questions
How much does a newly-qualified NHS nurse take home in 2026/27?
A newly-qualified Band 5 nurse on the 2026/27 entry salary of £32,073 takes home about £2,040 a month after the NHS pension contribution, income tax and National Insurance (England, no London weighting, no student loan). Overtime, bank shifts and unsocial-hours enhancements are extra and would raise this further.
What is deducted from NHS pay before I get it?
Four things: your NHS pension contribution (a tiered percentage of your pensionable pay), income tax, National Insurance, and any student loan repayment. The pension is taken before income tax, so you automatically get tax relief on it; National Insurance is charged on your full gross pay.
Are these figures accurate for the 2026/27 tax year?
Yes — every rate and threshold is the published 2026/27 figure (6 April 2026 to 5 April 2027): the £12,570 Personal Allowance and 20%/40%/45% income-tax bands (Scotland's six bands are modelled separately), the 8%/2% Class 1 National Insurance rates, the NHS Pension Scheme 2026/27 member tiers (5.2% to 12.5%), and the 2026/27 student-loan thresholds. Sources are listed on the page. This is an estimate, not tax or financial advice — your tax code and exact spine point can change the result.
Does the calculator include London weighting?
Yes. You can add the High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) for London Fringe (+5%), Outer London (+15%) or Inner London (+20%). The supplement is estimated at its headline percentage; in practice HCAS has a cash minimum and maximum set in the NHS Terms and Conditions, so the very lowest and highest earners receive a slightly different amount.
Can I use it if I work less than full time?
Yes. Enter the percentage of full-time hours you work and the calculator pro-rates your basic pay and London weighting. For NHS pension purposes your contribution tier is set by your actual (reduced) pensionable pay, which the calculator applies.
Is GeraClinic a recruitment agency?
No. GeraClinic and Gera Services Ltd do not recruit or place health workers, do not match you to specific UK vacancies, and never charge a health worker a placement fee. This is a free, general pay-estimate tool for people exploring UK NHS work independently. You apply directly, of your own accord, to NHS trusts and other licensed employers.
Sources
Every rate is taken from the primary published source below, verified 2026-07-03. NHS pay figures reference April 2026. Confirm the current figure before you rely on it.
- NHS Employers — Agenda for Change pay scales (2026/27) — NHS Employers
- NHS Health Careers — Pay for doctors (2026/27) — NHS Health Careers
- Income Tax rates and Personal Allowances (2026/27) — GOV.UK — HM Revenue & Customs
- Scottish Income Tax: rates and bands 2026 to 2027 — gov.scot — Scottish Government
- National Insurance rates and categories (2026/27) — GOV.UK — HM Revenue & Customs
- NHS Pension Scheme member contributions 2026/27 — NHS Employers — NHS Employers / NHS Business Services Authority
- Repaying your student loan — thresholds and rates 2026/27 — GOV.UK — Student Loans Company / GOV.UK
Related NHS pay & pathway guides
NHS pay scales 2026/27
Full Agenda for Change and medical & dental basic pay tables, by band and grade.
Agenda for Change bands
Every AfC band, entry to top of scale, with the year-on-year uplift.
Doctor & dentist pay
Foundation, resident, specialty doctor, specialist and consultant basic pay.
UK registration checklist
The GMC, NMC, GPhC, GDC or HCPC pathway for internationally-qualified staff.
For doctors
The UK doctor pathway and remote telemedicine work with GeraClinic.
For nurses (NMC)
The full NMC Test of Competence pathway — English, CBT and OSCE.
Important — please read
This calculator gives an estimate of NHS take-home pay for the 2026/27 tax year using published rates. It is general information, not tax, financial or immigration advice. Your actual pay depends on your tax code, exact spine point, employer, pension choices and personal circumstances, and figures can change. Gera Services Ltd is not a recruitment agency, does not place health workers and never charges a health worker a fee — you apply to NHS employers directly, on your own account.