When was the 2018/19 Band 9 pay rise paid?

The new Band 9 rates were backdated to 2018-04-01. 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 9 in 2018/19?

Based on a 37.5-hour standard NHS week, Band 9 entry pay of £84,507 works out at £43.22 per hour. Top-of-band pay of £102,506 works out at £52.42 per hour.

What was the 2018 NHS three-year pay deal?

The 2018-2021 framework agreement was a three-year NHS pay deal negotiated between the UK Government, NHS Employers and the NHS Staff Council in early 2018. It committed £4.2bn of additional pay funding over three years, restructured the Agenda for Change pay scale, raised entry pay above the National Living Wage and closed Band 1 to new entrants.

Why was the 2018 NHS pay deal a big change?

Between 2010 and 2018, NHS pay had been held to a 1% per year cap, well below inflation. The 2018 deal was the first multi-year settlement since then to commit to above-inflation increases and the first major restructure of Agenda for Change since it was introduced in 2004. It also began the consolidation of legacy spine points that completed under the 2021/22 scale.

NHS Band 9 pay 2018/19

Band 9 salaries in England for 2018/19 ran from £84,507 at entry to £102,506 at the top step. Backdated to 2018-04-01.

Band 9 pay scale, 2018/19

Step	Years from entry	Annual	Hourly (37.5h)
Entry	From day one	£84,507	£43.22
Intermediate	After 2 years	£88,563	£45.29
Intermediate	After 3 years	£92,814	£47.47
Intermediate	After 4 years	£97,269	£49.74
Top	After 5 years	£102,506	£52.42
Full range		£84,507 to £102,506	£43.22 to £52.42

England, 2018/19, effective 2018-04-01. Source: NHS terms and conditions pay poster 2018/19 — NHS Employers.

All Agenda for Change pay scales for 2018/19 were backdated to 1 April 2018. 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 2018/19 NHS pay deal in context

The 2018/19 pay round was the first year of the 2018-2021 three-year deal, the most significant restructuring of NHS Agenda for Change pay since the scheme was introduced in 2004. It raised entry pay, started closing legacy spine points, and committed the UK Government to three years of above-inflation increases.

The 2018-2021 framework deal was negotiated between the UK Government, NHS Employers and the NHS Staff Council (representing the major trade unions) in early 2018 and ratified by union members in a consultative ballot. The deal was published on 27 March 2018 and applied retrospectively to 1 April 2018. It promised £4.2bn of additional funding over three years and committed to raising the lowest NHS pay rates above the National Living Wage, removing legacy spine points and reforming pay progression.

Band 1 was closed to new entrants from 1 December 2018, with the entry route redirected to Band 2. Many legacy spine points were marked as transitional with a planned end date. Entry pay at every band moved up substantially. The deal set a clear three-year roadmap to reach the consolidated Entry/Intermediate/Top structure that has been in use since 2021/22.

Union response to the 2018/19 deal

The deal followed a sustained pay cap that had held NHS pay growth to 1% per year since 2010, well below inflation, and represented a significant breakthrough. Unions including Unison, the RCN and Unite recommended acceptance, though they noted that the deal would not fully restore the cumulative real-terms losses since 2010. Around 76% of those who voted in the consultative ballot supported acceptance.

Common questions about Band 9 pay in 2018/19

When was the 2018/19 Band 9 pay rise paid?: The new Band 9 rates were backdated to 2018-04-01. 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 9 in 2018/19?: Based on a 37.5-hour standard NHS week, Band 9 entry pay of £84,507 works out at £43.22 per hour. Top-of-band pay of £102,506 works out at £52.42 per hour.
What was the 2018 NHS three-year pay deal?: The 2018-2021 framework agreement was a three-year NHS pay deal negotiated between the UK Government, NHS Employers and the NHS Staff Council in early 2018. It committed £4.2bn of additional pay funding over three years, restructured the Agenda for Change pay scale, raised entry pay above the National Living Wage and closed Band 1 to new entrants.
Why was the 2018 NHS pay deal a big change?: Between 2010 and 2018, NHS pay had been held to a 1% per year cap, well below inflation. The 2018 deal was the first multi-year settlement since then to commit to above-inflation increases and the first major restructure of Agenda for Change since it was introduced in 2004. It also began the consolidation of legacy spine points that completed under the 2021/22 scale.