What is the take-home pay for an NHS Band 5 nurse 2026/27?

At £34,592 gross, the intermediate point of Band 5 in England, the 8.3% NHS pension tier applies and take-home is about £26,129 a year, or £2,177 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and the contribution. At Band 5 entry, £32,073, the tier is 8.3% and take-home is about £24,483; at the £39,043 top of the band, on the 9.8% tier, it is about £28,570.

Does NHS pension reduce my tax bill?

Yes - NHS pension is taken via net pay arrangement, meaning the contribution is deducted before Income Tax is calculated. A Band 5 nurse on the 9.8% top-of-band tier effectively pays 7.84% after 20% Income Tax relief. National Insurance is not relieved on NHS pension contributions.

Do Scottish nurses take home more than English nurses?

Pay first: NHS Scotland sets Band 5 under its own Agenda for Change agreement, and this page holds only the England scale, so compare the two published scales directly. On tax, a Scottish taxpayer on the same gross pays slightly less Income Tax at the bottom of Band 5 and slightly more at the top. The 19% starter rate saves a little, the 21% intermediate rate on taxable pay above £29,526 claws it back, and the 42% higher rate applies above £43,662. On the England Band 5 points the difference is less than a pound a week either way, and National Insurance is the same across the UK.

NHS Band 5 Nurse Salary 2026/27: What You Actually Take Home

Band 5 is the entry grade for a registered nurse. 2026/27 Agenda for Change pay is £32,073–£39,043 across three pay points; after tax, NI and pension the actual take-home is materially different.

Typical pay & take-home

Agenda for Change Band 5 intermediate point: £34,592
The three points of Band 5, entry to top: £32,073–£39,043
Take-home on that salary: £26,129 England, after the 8.3% NHS pension contribution, Income Tax and NI.

At £34,592, you earn 11% below the UK full-time median (£39,039), placing you between the 25th percentile (£29,262) and the 50th percentile (£39,039) of UK full-time earnings.

See exact take-home for £34,592 →

What influences nhs band 5 nurse pay

Band 5 pay follows the NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) contract. The band has three pay points: the entry point, the intermediate point after 2 years and the top point after 4 years in the band. Moving beyond the top of Band 5 means being appointed to a post graded at Band 6, such as a specialist or team-lead role.

High Cost Area Supplements add to the headline in and around London: 20% of basic pay in inner London, 15% in outer London and 5% in the fringe, each subject to a minimum and a maximum, £5,794 to £8,746 in inner London. Enhanced pay for unsocial hours is on top again under Section 2 of the AfC handbook: from Band 4 upwards, time plus 30% for Saturdays and weekday nights between 8pm and 6am, and time plus 60% for Sundays and public holidays.

Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set NHS pay under their own agreements, so the England points on this page do not apply there. Private-sector nursing is paid on each employer’s own terms rather than on the Agenda for Change scale.

Career progression

Newly qualified: Band 5 entry point, £32,073 in England (2026/27).
Band 5 intermediate point after 2 years: £34,592; top point after 4 years: £39,043.
Band 6: specialist/senior nurse (clinical lead, ward senior, community specialist) — £39,959 entry.
Band 7: team lead, nurse practitioner, advanced roles — £49,387 entry.

Frequently asked questions

What is the take-home pay for an NHS Band 5 nurse 2026/27?: At £34,592 gross, the intermediate point of Band 5 in England, the 8.3% NHS pension tier applies and take-home is about £26,129 a year, or £2,177 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and the contribution. At Band 5 entry, £32,073, the tier is 8.3% and take-home is about £24,483; at the £39,043 top of the band, on the 9.8% tier, it is about £28,570.
Does NHS pension reduce my tax bill?: Yes - NHS pension is taken via net pay arrangement, meaning the contribution is deducted before Income Tax is calculated. A Band 5 nurse on the 9.8% top-of-band tier effectively pays 7.84% after 20% Income Tax relief. National Insurance is not relieved on NHS pension contributions.
Do Scottish nurses take home more than English nurses?: Pay first: NHS Scotland sets Band 5 under its own Agenda for Change agreement, and this page holds only the England scale, so compare the two published scales directly. On tax, a Scottish taxpayer on the same gross pays slightly less Income Tax at the bottom of Band 5 and slightly more at the top. The 19% starter rate saves a little, the 21% intermediate rate on taxable pay above £29,526 claws it back, and the 42% higher rate applies above £43,662. On the England Band 5 points the difference is less than a pound a week either way, and National Insurance is the same across the UK.

Getting into this job

How to become a nurse in England

The three routes to NMC registration in England, what each costs in 2026/27, and every Agenda for Change point from Band 5 to Band 7 with real take-home.

All UK professions →

Sources

NHS Employers - Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27
NHS Employers - NHS Pension Scheme member contribution rates
NHS Employers - NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook
ONS - ASHE 2025 Table 14.7a, annual pay by SOC 2020 occupation (occupational pay)
ONS — Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings 2025 (UK full-time median and percentiles)
HMRC — Rates and thresholds 2026/27
Our full methodology & calculation sources →