Saving Tool UK

Band 8a NHS Take-Home Pay2026/27

Consultant prosthetist/orthotist, modern matron, nurse consultant. See each pay point from £57,528 to £64,750 and check your take-home after tax and National Insurance.

Calculate your take-home →View all NHS bands

Band 8a Pay Points

Take-homeTaxNI
Take-home calculator

Band 8a after-tax pay

Use the calculator below to model your annual, monthly and weekly take-home pay for Band 8a in 2026/27.

Your pay

per year
per year

Bonuses, commission, overtime, capital gains, investments and similar.

Your take-home pay

£3,521a month

£42,256 a year · £813 a week

Out of £4,794 gross a month

  • Take-home pay£3,52173.5%
  • Your pension+ £144 from your employer£2405.0%
  • Income tax£77416.2%
  • National Insurance£2595.4%
HMRC 2026/27 rates, updated 6 April 2026

If you invested £1,271 each month into an ISA after covering your expenses, you could make £760,226 over 25 years: +£378,836 on top of what you put in, thanks to compounding returns.

See how
Pension, region, student loan, State Pension age
%
%

Try changing your contributions to see how it affects everything.

Where you pay tax
State Pension age

68 applies if you were born after 5 April 1978.

How to Use Our NHS Pay Calculator

If you're part of the NHS workforce, understanding your payslip can sometimes feel like a puzzle. Whether you're a nurse, doctor, or working behind the scenes, our easy-to-use tools can help you see exactly what you take home each month. By simply entering your salary band, we'll give you a clear breakdown of your pay after tax, national insurance, and other deductions.

You can adjust for overtime, pension contributions, and tax codes too, ensuring the figures reflect your personal circumstances. This way, you'll have a full picture of your earnings and know exactly how much money lands in your account each month.

Understanding NHS Pay Bands

NHS salaries are structured around a system of pay bands. These bands are used to determine your pay based on your role, experience, and responsibilities. Here's a breakdown of the different NHS pay bands for the current tax year.

BandTime in bandGross salaryTake-home a yearA month
Band 2Example Roles: Domestic support worker, healthcare assistant, security officerOpen band calculator
Band 2Example Roles: Domestic support worker, healthcare assistant, security officerOpen band calculator< 2 years£25,272£21,717£1,810
2+ years£25,272£21,717£1,810
Band 3Example Roles: Emergency care assistant, trainee clinical coderOpen band calculator
Band 3Example Roles: Emergency care assistant, trainee clinical coderOpen band calculator< 2 years£25,760£22,068£1,839
2+ years£27,476£23,303£1,942
Band 4Example Roles: Assistant practitioner, pharmacy technician, dental nurseOpen band calculator
Band 4Example Roles: Assistant practitioner, pharmacy technician, dental nurseOpen band calculator< 3 years£28,392£23,963£1,997
3+ years£31,157£25,954£2,163
Band 5Example Roles: Newly qualified nurses, ODP, podiatristOpen band calculator
Band 5Example Roles: Newly qualified nurses, ODP, podiatristOpen band calculator< 2 years£32,073£26,613£2,218
2-4 years£34,592£28,427£2,369
4+ years£39,043£31,632£2,636
Band 6Example Roles: School nurse, experienced paramedic, estates officerOpen band calculator
Band 6Example Roles: School nurse, experienced paramedic, estates officerOpen band calculator< 2 years£39,959£32,291£2,691
2-5 years£42,170£33,883£2,824
5+ years£48,117£38,165£3,180
Band 7Example Roles: Communications manager, estates manager, high intensity therapistOpen band calculator
Band 7Example Roles: Communications manager, estates manager, high intensity therapistOpen band calculator< 2 years£49,387£39,079£3,257
2-5 years£51,932£40,678£3,390
5+ years£56,515£43,336£3,611
Band 8aExample Roles: Consultant prosthetist/orthotist, modern matron, nurse consultantOpen band calculator
Band 8aExample Roles: Consultant prosthetist/orthotist, modern matron, nurse consultantOpen band calculator< 2 years£57,528£43,924£3,660
2-5 years£60,417£45,600£3,800
5+ years£64,750£48,113£4,009
Band 8bExample Roles: Strategic management, head of education and training, clinical physiology service managerOpen band calculator
Band 8bExample Roles: Strategic management, head of education and training, clinical physiology service managerOpen band calculator< 2 years£66,582£49,175£4,098
2-5 years£70,896£51,677£4,306
5+ years£77,368£55,431£4,619
Band 8cExample Roles: Head of HR, consultant clinical scientist, consultant paramedicOpen band calculator
Band 8cExample Roles: Head of HR, consultant clinical scientist, consultant paramedicOpen band calculator< 2 years£79,504£56,670£4,723
2-5 years£84,346£59,478£4,957
5+ years£91,609£63,691£5,308
Band 8dExample Roles: Consultant psychologist, chief nurse, chief finance managerOpen band calculator
Band 8dExample Roles: Consultant psychologist, chief nurse, chief finance managerOpen band calculator< 2 years£94,356£65,284£5,440
2-5 years£100,140£68,611£5,718
5+ years£108,814£71,907£5,992
Band 9Example Roles: Podiatric consultant, director of estates and facilitiesOpen band calculator
Band 9Example Roles: Podiatric consultant, director of estates and facilitiesOpen band calculator< 2 years£112,782£73,415£6,118
2-5 years£119,583£75,999£6,333
5+ years£129,783£80,572£6,714

It's important to note that these bands reflect base salaries, and your actual take-home pay can differ based on factors like pension contributions, overtime, and tax deductions. Many NHS staff also receive additional payments for unsocial hours or on-call duties.

Additional Benefits for NHS Staff

Beyond your salary, NHS staff are entitled to various additional benefits that can make a big difference to your overall compensation. These include:

Pension Scheme
The NHS pension is one of the most generous in the UK, offering substantial employer contributions and providing long-term financial security
Annual Leave
NHS employees receive between 27 and 33 days of annual leave, depending on their length of service
Sick Pay
Depending on your length of service, you may be eligible for full pay for up to six months if you are unwell
Maternity and Paternity Pay
Enhanced maternity and paternity leave options allow for more financial support during family leave
Career Development
With various training programmes and support for further education, the NHS invests in the long-term development of its staff

Whether you're just starting your NHS career or have been with the service for years, these benefits add up to a well-rounded compensation package designed to support you both now and in the future

Tax and National Insurance

Like any other job, your NHS salary is subject to income tax and National Insurance (NI) contributions. These deductions can sometimes make it hard to predict exactly how much you'll take home, but understanding the basics will help you plan your finances better.

In the 2026/27 tax year, income tax is applied as follows:

  • Up to £12,570: 0% (Personal Allowance)
  • £12,571 to £50,270: 20% (Basic Rate)
  • £50,271 to £125,140: 40% (Higher Rate)
  • Above £125,140: 45% (Additional Rate)

Your National Insurance contribution is also based on your earnings and is calculated as a percentage of your gross pay. For 2026/27:

  • 8% on earnings between £12,570 and £50,270
  • 2% on earnings above £50,270

By having a clear view of your tax and National Insurance contributions, you can better plan your savings, spending, and overall financial health.

Explore your finances

Model your expenses, project your wealth, and find your path to financial independence, using the pay figures above.

Your monthly spending

Essentials

£per month
Housing, bills, council tax, food.

Everything else

£per month
Things you choose to pay for.

Your plan

The earliest you can retire with your workplace pension is usually 55 (rising to 57 from 6 April 2028). You won't get your state pension until your mid or late 60s, depending on your current age. Tip: try playing around with your target retirement age to see how things change.
£
The total balance of all your existing pension pots.
£
The total balance of any existing ISA Savings accounts (GIAs are not currently supported)

Financial independence

%
% of today
%
Financial independence means having enough saved that your outgoings are covered for the rest of your life.

Where your £4,794 a month goes

  • Essentials£1,750
  • Everything else£500
  • Tax and NI£1,033
  • Pension£240
  • Left to invest in your ISA£1,271

Projected wealth

Estimated income over 50 years, in today's money, with a 5% annual return and 0.35% yearly platform and fund fees.

Projected pension

Your pension pot over 31 years at three growth rates, after 0.35% fees, in today's money.

Calculations
  • FI Target = Annual outgoings (£21,600) * Years needed for 4.00% SWR (25.00) = £540,000
  • Invested annual pension = £4,602
  • Invested annual surplus = £15,256
  • Inflation of 2.5% / year
  • Assumes New State Pension, payments increasing with inflation (2.5% / year)
  • Assumes student loans last 30 years max
  • Assumes a flex-drawdown pension for illustration purposes
  • Assumes you draw down pension up to the higher rate bracket (£50,270), then draw down your S&S ISA
  • Pension lump sums are not included

Take-home pay by salary

See the full 2026/27 breakdown for common salaries.