NHS Band 8a Salary 2026/27: Pay Scale, Hourly Rate & Take-Home
Agenda for Change Band 8a in England pays £57,528 rising to £64,750 in 2026/27, after a 3.3% rise — £29.42 an hour at entry. After income tax, National Insurance and NHS Pension that is about £3,352.53 a month take-home (£3,662.95 at the top of the band).
Updated 2026-10-03 · NHS Employers 2026/27 pay scales · HMRC 2026/27 tax
Band 8a pay points 2026/27
| Pay point | Annual | 2025/26 | Monthly gross | Hourly | Pension rate | Take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £57,528 | £55,690 | £4,794.00 | £29.42 | 10.7% | £3,352.53 |
| After 2 years | £60,417 | £58,487 | £5,034.75 | £30.90 | 10.7% | £3,476.71 |
| Top (after 5 years) | £64,750 | £62,682 | £5,395.83 | £33.11 | 10.7% | £3,662.95 |
- Gross / month
- Take-home / month
Progression is automatic once you meet the pay-step requirements (an appraisal and completed mandatory training). The step from entry to the top of Band 8a is worth £7,222 a year before tax, or £310.43 a month after tax and pension.
What comes out of a Band 8a payslip
| Monthly | Entry (£57,528) | Top (£64,750) |
|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £4,794.00 | £5,395.83 |
| NHS Pension | -£512.96 | -£577.35 |
| Income tax | -£665.08 | -£880.06 |
| National Insurance | -£263.43 | -£275.47 |
| Take-home | £3,352.53 | £3,662.95 |
NHS Pension contributions are deducted before tax (net pay arrangement), so a 10.7% contribution costs you less than it looks. With a Plan 2 student loan, entry-level take-home falls to £3,141.53 a month (£211.00 repaid).
Band 8a in London (HCAS)
High cost area supplements are a percentage of basic pay, subject to a minimum and maximum.
| Area | Supplement | Entry with HCAS | Top with HCAS | Take-home / month (entry) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% (min £5,794, max £8,746) | £66,274 | £73,496 | £3,728.46 |
| Outer London | 15% (min £4,870, max £6,137) | £63,665 | £70,887 | £3,616.32 |
| Fringe | 5% (min £1,346, max £2,270) | £59,798 | £67,020 | £3,450.10 |
Unsocial hours and overtime for Band 8a
- Saturdays and weekday nights (8pm–6am): +30% — £38.25 an hour at entry.
- Sundays and bank holidays: +60% — £47.07 an hour at entry.
- Overtime: Band 8a staff are not normally paid overtime under Agenda for Change; extra hours are usually given back as time off in lieu.
Example: one 12.5-hour Sunday shift a month adds £221 of enhancement on top of basic pay at entry level — about £114 a month after tax, NI and pension.
Band 8a in Scotland, 2026/27
NHS Scotland has its own pay scales and a 3.75% rise for 2026/27. Band 8a pays £65,125 to £70,303 — £7,597 more than in England at entry — but Scottish income tax rates apply.
| Pay point | Scotland | Take-home / month (Scotland) | England take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £65,125 | £3,507.98 | £3,352.53 |
| Top (after 5 years) | £70,303 | £3,720.59 | £3,476.71 |
Typical Band 8a jobs
- Matron
- Advanced practitioner
- Consultant AHP (some trusts)
- Service or department manager
- Principal pharmacist
Banding is set by job evaluation against national profiles, so the same job title can sit in a different band at another trust. Moving up to Band 8b starts at £66,582 (£1,832 above the top of Band 8a). Band 7 tops out at £56,515.
Calculate your own Band 8a pay
| Basic pay | £64,750 |
| High cost area supplement | £0 |
| NHS Pension (10.7% tier) | £6,928 |
| Income tax | £10,561 |
| National Insurance | £3,306 |
| Student loan | £0 |
| Take-home pay | £43,955 |
- Take-home £43,955 67.9%
- Income tax £10,561 16.3%
- NI £3,306 5.1%
- NHS Pension £6,928 10.7%
Your result is ready
All bands: Band 1 · Band 2 · Band 3 · Band 4 · Band 5 · Band 6 · Band 7 · Band 8b · Band 8c · Band 8d · Band 9
Promotion from Band 7 to Band 8a: a small step up
Moving from the top of Band 7 (£56,515) to the Band 8a entry point (£57,528) adds just £1,013 a year. After 40% tax, 2% NI and the 10.7% pension contribution, take-home rises by only £43.54 a month.
There is also a cost the payslip does not show: Section 3 of the handbook says staff in Bands 8 and 9 are not entitled to overtime payments. Extra hours are usually given back as time off in lieu, which is at plain time. A Band 7 who was regularly paid time and a half can lose more in overtime than the promotion adds, at least until the 8a pay steps arrive after two and five years (£60,417, then £64,750).
Band 8a jobs
Band 8a covers 540 to 584 job-evaluation points. NHS Employers lists 43 profiles that start at 8a, many of which span 8a and 8b depending on the size of the service. NHS Health Careers gives modern matron and nurse consultant (mental health nursing) as typical 8a jobs. National profiles at 8a include the Nursing 8a and 8a–c profiles, principal physiotherapists, occupational therapists and radiographers, principal clinical psychologists (548 to 623 points), Pharmacist Advanced (546 to 598), Programme Manager, Principal Finance Manager, and Social Work Locality or Service Manager.
Child Benefit and the pension contribution
Band 8a pay runs up to £64,750, above the £60,000 point where the High Income Child Benefit Charge begins. But the charge is based on adjusted net income, and NHS Pension contributions under the net pay arrangement reduce it. After the 10.7% contribution, adjusted net income at the top of Band 8a is about £57,822, so a parent with no other income pays no charge and keeps all their Child Benefit. Other taxable income, extra paid sessions or a future pay award can tip that over.
In Scotland, Band 8a has just two points: £65,125 at entry and £70,303 after five years, with no intermediate step.
Frequently asked questions
How much is NHS Band 8a per hour?
£29.42 an hour at entry and £33.11 at the top in 2026/27, based on a 37.5-hour week (annual ÷ 52.143 ÷ 37.5).
What is Band 8a take-home pay per month?
About £3,352.53 at entry in England with no student loan, after income tax, NI and a 10.7% NHS Pension contribution. At the top of the band it is about £3,662.95.
How much did Band 8a go up in 2026/27?
Entry pay rose from £55,690 to £57,528 (+£1,838), the 3.3% pay award from 1 April.
How long does it take to reach the top of Band 8a?
after 5 years, subject to meeting pay-step requirements.
Do Band 8a staff get paid overtime?
No. The Agenda for Change handbook says staff on Bands 8 and 9 are not entitled to overtime payments; extra hours are normally taken back as time off in lieu at plain time.
How much is the pay rise from Band 7 to Band 8a?
From the top of Band 7 to the 8a entry point it is £1,013 a year before tax, about £43.54 a month after tax, NI and pension.
Will a Band 8a lose Child Benefit?
Not on basic pay alone. Even at the top point of £64,750, the pension contribution keeps adjusted net income at about £57,822, under the £60,000 threshold.
Sources
Figures are taken from official government publications and were last reviewed on 2026-10-03.
- NHS Employers – Pay scales for 2026/27
- NHS Pay Review Body Thirty-Ninth Report 2026
- NHSBSA – Cost of being in the Scheme (contribution tiers)
- Scottish Government circular PCS(AFC)2026/1 – AfC pay 2025-26 and 2026-27
- SPPA – NHS Scotland member contributions
- NHS Employers – NHS Terms and Conditions of Service (Agenda for Change) Handbook
- NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook – Section 3: Overtime payments
- NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook – Section 1: Pay structure (job weight by band, pay on promotion)
- NHS Employers – National job profiles and profile index (January 2026)
- NHS Health Careers – Agenda for Change pay rates and example jobs
- GOV.UK – High Income Child Benefit Charge
- NHS Terms and Conditions Handbook – Section 1: Pay structure (Scotland)