What is take-home for a Band 6 radiographer?

On the £42,170 intermediate point of Band 6, with the 9.8% NHS pension tier, take-home is about £30,576 a year, or £2,548 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and the contribution. Band 6 entry, £39,959, is about £29,157, and the £48,117 top of the band about £34,391.

Do radiographers get unsocial hours payments?

Those whose standard hours fall in the unsocial period do. Under Section 2 of the NHS terms and conditions handbook, Bands 4 to 9 are paid time plus 30% for Saturdays and weekday hours after 8pm and before 6am, and time plus 60% for Sundays and public holidays. On-call is a separate arrangement: the payment is set by local agreement under the principles in Annex 29 of the handbook, and the same hours cannot attract both.

How does Band 6 compare to a Band 5 radiographer?

Band 5 runs £32,073 to £39,043 and Band 6 runs £39,959 to £48,117. Moving from the top of Band 5 to the top of Band 6 is £9,074 more gross and about £5,822 a year more in the hand, roughly £485 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and the 9.8% contribution that applies at both points.

Radiographer Salary 2026/27: NHS Band 6 Take-Home

Newly qualified diagnostic radiographers enter NHS Band 5, £32,073 to £39,043. Most progress to Band 6 after two years, the career grade for hospital radiographers, which runs £39,959 at entry, £42,170 at the intermediate point and £48,117 at the top for 2026/27.

Typical pay & take-home

Agenda for Change Band 6 intermediate point: £42,170
The three points of Band 6, entry to top: £39,959–£48,117
Take-home on that salary: £30,576 England, after the 9.8% NHS pension contribution, Income Tax and NI.

At £42,170, you earn about 8% above the UK full-time median (£39,039), placing you between the 50th percentile (£39,039) and the 75th percentile (£54,009) of UK full-time earnings.

See exact take-home for £42,170 →

What influences diagnostic radiographer pay

Every point of Band 6 is taxed at the basic rate, and the pension widens the margin rather than narrowing it. The contribution is a net pay arrangement, taken before Income Tax, so what is taxed is gross minus the contribution: the £48,117 top of the band leaves £43,402 taxable against a £50,270 higher-rate threshold. Most diagnostic radiographers work weekday hours without an unsocial hours premium, so take-home tracks the headline figure closely.

NHS pension is 9.8% across the whole of Band 6 in 2026/27, because the tier that runs to £52,778 of pensionable pay covers every point of the band.

Specialist roles in MRI, CT, interventional, mammography and sonography typically progress to Band 7, £49,387 to £56,515. Reporting radiographers, advanced practitioners and consultant radiographers reach Band 8a, which starts at £57,528.

Career progression

Band 5 entry: £32,073 (2026/27 England).
Band 5 top: £39,043.
Band 6 entry: £39,959.
Band 6 intermediate point: £42,170.
Band 6 top: £48,117.
Band 7 specialist or reporting radiographer: £49,387 to £56,515.

Frequently asked questions

What is take-home for a Band 6 radiographer?: On the £42,170 intermediate point of Band 6, with the 9.8% NHS pension tier, take-home is about £30,576 a year, or £2,548 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and the contribution. Band 6 entry, £39,959, is about £29,157, and the £48,117 top of the band about £34,391.
Do radiographers get unsocial hours payments?: Those whose standard hours fall in the unsocial period do. Under Section 2 of the NHS terms and conditions handbook, Bands 4 to 9 are paid time plus 30% for Saturdays and weekday hours after 8pm and before 6am, and time plus 60% for Sundays and public holidays. On-call is a separate arrangement: the payment is set by local agreement under the principles in Annex 29 of the handbook, and the same hours cannot attract both.
How does Band 6 compare to a Band 5 radiographer?: Band 5 runs £32,073 to £39,043 and Band 6 runs £39,959 to £48,117. Moving from the top of Band 5 to the top of Band 6 is £9,074 more gross and about £5,822 a year more in the hand, roughly £485 a month, after Income Tax, National Insurance and the 9.8% contribution that applies at both points.

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Sources

NHS Employers - Agenda for Change pay scales 2026/27
NHS Employers - NHS Pension Scheme member contribution rates
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 →