| Band | Gross Range (2026/27) | Hourly (top of band) | Typical Roles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £12.92 | Healthcare assistants, domestic and catering staff, porters |
| Band 3 | £25,760 – £27,476 | £14.05 | Senior healthcare assistants, clinical support workers, administrative officers |
| Band 4 | £28,392 – £31,157 | £15.93 | Assistant practitioners, senior administrative staff, associate practitioners |
| Band 5 | £32,073 – £39,043 | £19.97 | Newly qualified nurses, physiotherapists, occupational therapists, radiographers |
| Band 6 | £39,959 – £48,117 | £24.61 | Senior staff nurses, specialist practitioners, senior therapists |
| Band 7 | £49,387 – £56,515 | £28.90 | Advanced nurse practitioners, team leaders, senior specialist staff |
| Band 8a | £57,528 – £64,750 | £33.11 | Senior managers, consultant-level allied health professionals |
| Band 8b | £66,582 – £77,368 | £39.56 | Senior operational managers, principal clinical specialists |
| Band 8c | £79,504 – £91,609 | £46.85 | Heads of service, senior clinical leads |
| Band 8d | £94,356 – £108,814 | £55.65 | Associate directors, deputy directors |
| Band 9 | £112,782 – £129,783 | £66.37 | Directors and the most senior NHS leadership roles |
Figures are basic Agenda for Change pay (3.3% uplift, effective 1 April 2026), sourced from NHS Employers. Hourly rates use the NHS standard 37.5-hour week (1955.5 annual hours); NHS Employers publishes exact hourly rates. Excludes unsocial hours enhancements, overtime and High Cost Area Supplements. Doctors, dentists and very senior manager (VSM) roles are on separate contracts, not Agenda for Change.
How Many NHS Bands Are There?
Agenda for Change has nine numbered bands. Band 1 is closed to new staff, so in practice the structure runs Band 2 to Band 9, with Bands 8 and 9 split into sub-bands (8a, 8b, 8c, 8d) — 11 distinct pay ranges. Each band has two or three pay points; you move up a point roughly once a year until you reach the top of your band. Doctors, dentists and very senior managers sit outside Agenda for Change on their own national contracts.
Agenda for Change Pay Awards — Recent Years
Agenda for Change scales are re-set each 1 April by a national pay award, normally a percentage uplift applied to every pay point. The table above shows the current 2026/27 scale for England.
| Year | Consolidated uplift (England) |
|---|---|
| 2026/27 | 3.3% |
| 2025/26 | 3.6% |
| 2024/25 and earlier | Lower cash values — an "Agenda for Change 2024" or "2023" table will not match the figures above |
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland negotiate separately and their scales can differ from England's.
London Weighting & High Cost Area Supplements (HCAS)
Staff working in and around London receive a High Cost Area Supplement on top of basic pay:
| Zone | Supplement | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% of basic salary | £5,794 | £8,746 |
| Outer London | 15% of basic salary | £4,870 | £6,137 |
| Fringe | 5% of basic salary | £1,346 | £2,270 |
HCAS is pensionable and paid monthly, but it is separate from the basic Agenda for Change band pay in the table above. Unsocial-hours enhancements (Section 2) and overtime are also additional. Figures are the 2026/27 rates published by NHS Employers.