NHS Band 3 pay 2019/20
Band 3 salaries in England for 2019/20 ran from £18,813 at entry to £20,795 at the top step. Backdated to 2019-04-01.
Band 3 pay scale, 2019/20
| Step | Years from entry | Annual | Hourly (37.5h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | From day one | £18,813 | £9.62 |
| Intermediate | After 4 years | £19,332 | £9.89 |
| Intermediate | After 5 years | £19,917 | £10.19 |
| Top | After 6 years | £20,795 | £10.63 |
| Full range | £18,813 to £20,795 | £9.62 to £10.63 | |
England, 2019/20, effective 2019-04-01. Source: NHS TCS 2019 (AfC) pay poster — NHS Employers.
All Agenda for Change pay scales for 2019/20 were backdated to 1 April 2019. Salaries are subject to UK income tax, Class 1 National Insurance and NHS pension contributions. Use the take-home calculator for a personalised estimate.
The 2019/20 NHS pay deal in context
The 2019/20 pay round was the second year of the 2018-2021 three-year deal. It continued the restructure begun in 2018/19, consolidating legacy spine points and raising entry pay across all bands.
The 2019/20 figures were defined by the framework agreement signed in 2018 between the UK Government, NHS Employers and the major NHS trade unions. The deal phased in pay scale reform over three years, with progressive year-on-year changes rather than a single uplift percentage. NHS Employers published the implementing 2019/20 pay poster effective 1 April 2019.
The number of legacy spine points within each band continued to shrink. Band 1 was closed to new entrants, completing the change introduced under the 2018 deal. Entry pay at every band moved up. The scale was visibly moving towards the three-step (entry, intermediate, top) shape used from 2021/22 onwards.
Year-on-year change for Band 3
Compared with 2018/19, Band 3 entry pay rose by £1,026 (5.8%) . Top-of-band pay rose by £347 (1.7%). The following year, 2020/21, Band 3 entry pay moved to £19,737.
- Previous year entry
- £17,787
- This year entry
- £18,813
2018/19
+ 5.8% vs previous year
Union response to the 2019/20 deal
Unions had recommended members vote to accept the three-year deal in 2018, judging it the best achievable outcome at the time. By 2019/20 the deal was being implemented as agreed, although early concerns were already being raised that the cash increases were being eroded by inflation faster than projected.
Common questions about Band 3 pay in 2019/20
- How much did Band 3 pay increase in 2019/20?
- Band 3 entry pay in England rose from £17,787 to £18,813 (5.8%). Top-of-band pay rose from £20,448 to £20,795 (1.7%).
- When was the 2019/20 Band 3 pay rise paid?
- The new Band 3 rates were backdated to 2019-04-01. In most NHS Trusts the uplift first showed in the payslip a few months later, with arrears for the backdated period paid alongside the first new monthly rate.
- What is the hourly rate for Band 3 in 2019/20?
- Based on a 37.5-hour standard NHS week, Band 3 entry pay of £18,813 works out at £9.62 per hour. Top-of-band pay of £20,795 works out at £10.63 per hour.
- Was 2019/20 a separate NHS pay deal?
- No. The 2019/20 figures were the second year of the 2018-2021 three-year framework deal. There was no separately negotiated 2019/20 settlement, and unions were not in dispute over the headline figures, although by the end of the year there were complaints that the cash increases were being eroded by inflation.
- When was Band 1 closed to new NHS entrants?
- Band 1 was closed to new entrants from 1 December 2018, as agreed in the 2018-2021 framework deal. Existing Band 1 staff retained their banding but the entry route was redirected to Band 2. The change had taken full effect by 2019/20.