Midwife Pay UK 2026/27
Midwife salaries broadly track NHS nursing bands, with most roles shaped by Agenda for Change and shift enhancements. Ongoing shortages have also expanded higher-fee opportunities in independent midwifery.
At a Glance
- Newly Qualified (Band 5)£2,218 / moof £32,073 gross a year
- Experienced Midwife (Band 6)£2,691 / moof £39,959 gross a year
- Senior / Specialist Midwife (Band 7)£3,257 / moof £49,387 gross a year
Midwives in the NHS are paid under Agenda for Change in line with nursing structures, although the Royal College of Midwives has repeatedly argued for Band 6 as the entry point given the autonomous and high-risk nature of practice.
The Royal College of Midwives has warned that England is more than 2,000 midwives short, increasing demand for independent midwifery where practitioners may charge £4,000–£6,000 per birth package.
Because maternity care is 24/7, unsocial-hours enhancements are a near-universal feature of total pay.
Midwife Salary Breakdown UK 2026/27
The table below shows typical midwife salaries across experience levels and regions, alongside estimated take-home pay after income tax and National Insurance. Click any gross salary figure to open it in the calculator.
Income Tax and National Insurance in 2026/27
Like all UK workers, midwives salaries are subject to income tax and National Insurance (NI) contributions. In the 2026/27 tax year:
| Up to £12,570 | 0% (Personal Allowance) |
| £12,571 – £50,270 | 20% (Basic Rate) |
| £50,271 – £125,140 | 40% (Higher Rate) |
| Above £125,140 | 45% (Additional Rate) |
| Up to £12,570 | 0% |
| £12,570 – £50,270 | 8% |
| Above £50,270 | 2% |
| - | - |
Use the calculator above to see your exact take-home pay after all deductions, including pension contributions and student loan repayments if applicable.
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Pension, region, student loan, State Pension age
Explore your finances
Model your expenses, project your wealth, and find your path to financial independence, using the pay figures above.
Financial independence
- In today's money, you'll have at least £21,600 / year (£1,800 / month) when you stop working at 66 - just from your savings
- In real terms, that's £38,340 / year (£3,195 / month)
- That means all your outgoings are covered without having to make any further contributions!
- You may be able to retire earlier - try adjusting the retirement age field
Where your £3,330 a month goes
- Essentials£1,750
- Everything else£500
- Tax and NI£592
- Pension£166
- Left to invest in your ISA£321
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 = £3,197
- Invested annual surplus = £3,853
- 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