NHS Band 7 pay 2021/22
Band 7 salaries in England for 2021/22 ran from £40,057 at entry to £45,839 at the top step. Pay rose 3% versus 2020/21 pay scales. Backdated to 2021-04-01.
Band 7 pay scale, 2021/22
| Step | Years from entry | Annual | Hourly (37.5h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | From day one | £40,057 | £20.49 |
| Intermediate | After 2 years | £42,121 | £21.54 |
| Top | After 5 years | £45,839 | £23.44 |
| Full range | £40,057 to £45,839 | £20.49 to £23.44 | |
England, 2021/22, effective 2021-04-01. Source: Annual pay scales 2021/22 [Archived] — NHS Employers.
All Agenda for Change pay scales for 2021/22 were backdated to 1 April 2021. 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 2021/22 NHS pay deal in context
The 2021/22 pay round delivered a 3% consolidated uplift to all pay points in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, following a year in which NHS staff had worked through the most intense phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 2021/22 deal was decided after the 2020/21 NHS staff had been through the COVID-19 pandemic. The UK Government's initial offer was 1%, which was widely condemned as insulting given the pandemic effort. After ballots and threats of industrial action, the final settlement was 3%, applied retrospectively from 1 April 2021. NHS Employers published the implementation circular in July 2021 with arrears paid in August or September. Scotland made a separate offer earlier in the year that was slightly higher.
Every pay point moved up by 3%. The pay structure was unchanged from 2020/21. The settlement was applied retrospectively to 1 April 2021 with arrears paid later in the year.
Year-on-year change for Band 7
Compared with 2020/21, Band 7 entry pay rose by £1,167 (3.0%) . Top-of-band pay rose by £1,336 (3.0%). The following year, 2022/23, Band 7 entry pay moved to £41,659.
- Previous year entry
- £38,890
- This year entry
- £40,057
2020/21
+ 3.0% vs previous year
Union response to the 2021/22 deal
The 2021/22 round was politically charged because it followed a year in which NHS staff had worked through the COVID-19 pandemic. Unions argued for a substantial real-terms rise to reflect that contribution. The initial 1% government offer was met with public protests outside government buildings. The eventual 3% settlement was higher than the initial offer but below the union ask of 12.5%.
Common questions about Band 7 pay in 2021/22
- How much did Band 7 pay increase in 2021/22?
- Band 7 entry pay in England rose from £38,890 to £40,057 (3.0%). Top-of-band pay rose from £44,503 to £45,839 (3.0%).
- When was the 2021/22 Band 7 pay rise paid?
- The new Band 7 rates were backdated to 2021-04-01. 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 7 in 2021/22?
- Based on a 37.5-hour standard NHS week, Band 7 entry pay of £40,057 works out at £20.49 per hour. Top-of-band pay of £45,839 works out at £23.44 per hour.
- Did NHS staff get a pandemic bonus?
- Beyond the 3% consolidated rise in 2021/22, there was no separate one-off NHS pandemic bonus in England or Wales. Scotland paid a £500 thank-you payment to all NHS staff in 2020. Some Trusts ran their own internal recognition schemes, but there was no UK-wide bonus scheme.
- Why was the 2021/22 deal controversial?
- The UK Government's opening offer was 1%, which was widely seen as inadequate given the role NHS staff had played during the COVID-19 pandemic. The final 3% settlement was higher but still below the consensus inflation rate for the period and well below the 12.5% union ask. The disconnect between public messaging about NHS staff as 'heroes' during the pandemic and the modest pay offer fed the run of disputes that followed in 2022 and 2023.