NHS Band 3 take-home pay, England 2026/27

Band 3 take-home pay by step, 2026/27

The table below shows the cash that lands in your bank account each year and each month at every pay step on Band 3, calculated from the 2026/27 England pay scale. Deductions are income tax, employee National Insurance, and the NHS pension contribution at the tier set by your whole-time-equivalent pensionable pay.

Assumes standard NHS Pension membership (no opt out) and no student loan repayments. Add your student loan plan in the calculator if it applies.

Band 3 gross vs net pay at each step

The bars below show the gap between gross pay (what your contract says) and net pay (what reaches your bank account) at each step. Roughly 30% of Band 3 pay goes to deductions across tax, NI and the NHS pension.

Band 3 take-home pay with London weighting

Staff working at NHS Trusts inside the High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) zones get a percentage added on top of basic pay. Inner London is 20% (capped at £8,746). Outer London is 15%. Fringe is 5%. The figures below are net annual pay including the relevant supplement, calculated on the same 2026/27 scale.

Net pay including the HCAS supplement. Tax, NI and pension deductions are recalculated against the higher gross figure.

How Band 3 deductions break down

At Band 3 entry pay of £25,760, the three main deductions are: the NHS pension contribution at 6.50% (£1,674 a year), income tax of £2,303 (after the £12,570 personal allowance), and employee National Insurance of £1,055. Total deductions £5,033 a year, leaving £20,727 net.

At the top of Band 3 (£27,476 gross), the pension tier rises to 6.50%, costing £1,786 a year. Income tax goes up to £2,624 and NI to £1,192. Total deductions £5,602 a year — about 20% of gross — leaving £21,874 net.

Common questions

What is the take-home pay for Band 3 in 2026/27?

Band 3 take-home pay ranges from £20,727 a year (£1,727 a month) at the entry step to £21,874 a year (£1,823 a month) at the top step on the 2026/27 England pay scale. The figures are after income tax, employee National Insurance and the tiered NHS pension contribution. They don't include London weighting, unsocial hours or overtime.

How much pension is deducted from Band 3 pay?

The NHS Pension Scheme uses tiered contributions based on whole-time-equivalent pensionable pay. At Band 3 entry (£25,760), the tier is 6.50%, costing £1,674 a year. At the top of the band (£27,476), the tier is 6.50%, costing £1,786 a year. Pension contributions are deducted from gross pay before income tax, so the effective cost is lower than the headline rate.

Does Band 3 pay include London weighting?

Not by default. The table on this page shows basic pay first, then a separate section with the three London weighting (High Cost Area Supplement) zones added on. Inner London is 20% on top of basic pay with a cap; Outer London is 15%; Fringe London is 5%. Only staff based at NHS Trusts inside the qualifying postcodes get the supplement. At Band 3 entry, Inner London takes net pay from £20,727 to £24,143 a year.

How is Band 3 take-home pay calculated?

Gross annual pay minus three deductions: income tax (after the £12,570 personal allowance, then 20% basic / 40% higher / 45% additional rate), employee National Insurance (8% main rate, 2% above the upper earnings limit), and the NHS pension contribution (tiered, 6.50% at Band 3 entry). Student loan repayments aren't included by default; you can add them in the take-home pay calculator.

Is Band 3 take-home pay the same in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland?

No. Scotland negotiates its own pay scale (usually higher gross pay) and applies the Scottish income tax bands, which start at 19% and reach 48% at the top — net pay outcomes differ from England. Wales and Northern Ireland use the same UK-wide tax bands as England but their pay scales lag behind by a few months, so gross pay can be lower until their pay deal is settled.