Compare two NHS pay bands
The table below shows the entry and top step for every NHS band in England, side by side, on the 2026/27 pay scale. Use it to work out the cash difference between any two bands at a glance.
All bands side by side, England 2026/27
| Band | Entry | Top | Range | Hourly at top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | £25,272 | £25,272 | Single rate | £12.92 |
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £25,272 | Single rate | £12.92 |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £27,476 | £1,716 | £14.05 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | £31,157 | £2,765 | £15.93 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £39,043 | £6,970 | £19.97 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £48,117 | £8,158 | £24.61 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £56,515 | £7,128 | £28.90 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £64,750 | £7,222 | £33.11 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £77,368 | £10,786 | £39.57 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £91,609 | £12,105 | £46.85 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £108,814 | £14,458 | £55.65 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £129,783 | £17,001 | £66.37 |
Common band-to-band comparisons
The most common pay comparisons NHS staff ask about are between adjacent bands (Band 5 to Band 6, Band 6 to Band 7), and between a current band and a stretch goal a couple of bands higher. The figures below are the cash gross uplift at the point of promotion (entry to entry), and the size of the new band you'd be moving into.
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Band 1 to Band 2
Entry to entry uplift: £0 a year
Band 2 range: £25,272 to £25,272
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Band 2 to Band 3
Entry to entry uplift: £488 a year
Band 3 range: £25,760 to £27,476
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Band 3 to Band 4
Entry to entry uplift: £2,632 a year
Band 4 range: £28,392 to £31,157
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Band 4 to Band 5
Entry to entry uplift: £3,681 a year
Band 5 range: £32,073 to £39,043
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Band 5 to Band 6
Entry to entry uplift: £7,886 a year
Band 6 range: £39,959 to £48,117
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Band 6 to Band 7
Entry to entry uplift: £9,428 a year
Band 7 range: £49,387 to £56,515
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Band 7 to Band 8a
Entry to entry uplift: £8,141 a year
Band 8a range: £57,528 to £64,750
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Band 8a to Band 8b
Entry to entry uplift: £9,054 a year
Band 8b range: £66,582 to £77,368
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Band 8b to Band 8c
Entry to entry uplift: £12,922 a year
Band 8c range: £79,504 to £91,609
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Band 8c to Band 8d
Entry to entry uplift: £14,852 a year
Band 8d range: £94,356 to £108,814
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Band 8d to Band 9
Entry to entry uplift: £18,426 a year
Band 9 range: £112,782 to £129,783
Common questions
- What's the actual cash difference between Band 5 and Band 6?
- On the 2026/27 England pay scale, Band 5 entry is £32,073 and Band 6 entry is £39,959, a gap of £7,886 at the point of promotion. Moving from the top of Band 5 (£39,043) to Band 6 entry (£39,959) is only £916. So if you promote from the top step of Band 5 straight into Band 6, the immediate cash jump is small. The benefit shows up over time as you progress through Band 6 to its top step of £48,117.
- How much extra do you take home moving from Band 6 to Band 7?
- On the 2026/27 scale, Band 6 entry to Band 7 entry is £49,387 minus £39,959 = £9,428 gross a year. After tax, NI and the higher pension tier kicking in, take-home rises by roughly £540 a month at entry. Top of Band 6 (£48,117) to top of Band 7 (£56,515) is an £8,398 a year gross increase, or roughly £490 a month net.
- Is it worth moving from Band 7 to Band 8a?
- Financially, yes: Band 7 top (£56,515) to Band 8a entry (£57,528) is £1,013 gross at promotion, rising significantly as you move through Band 8a to its top step of £64,750. The bigger question is whether the role suits you. Band 8a typically means more management responsibility and less direct clinical work, which not everyone wants. The pension hit also increases (you move to a higher tier), so the take-home difference is smaller than the gross figure suggests.
- How does Scotland's pay compare for senior bands?
- On the 2026/27 scale, a Band 7 ward manager at the top step earns £56,515 in England and £61,466 in Scotland, a difference of £4,951 a year. At Band 8a top, the gap is £5,553 (England £64,750 vs Scotland £70,303). The gap widens at the most senior bands too: Band 9 top is £129,783 in England versus £133,044 in Scotland. Scottish income tax is higher above the £43,663 threshold, so the net difference is smaller than the gross figure looks.