What is the Band 8d salary in Northern Ireland for 2025/26?

Band 8d in Northern Ireland pays from £91,342 at entry to £105,337 at the top of the scale for 2025/26. Staff progress through 5 years to reach top of band.

Does Northern Ireland pay Band 8d the same as the other UK nations?

No. Scotland pays Band 8d more at the top of band, with a top rate of £112,426 compared to £105,337 in Northern Ireland. The difference is £7,089 per year (6.7%).

What is the hourly rate for Band 8d in Northern Ireland?

Based on a standard 37.5-hour NHS week, Band 8d entry pay of £91,342 works out at £46.71 per hour, rising to £53.87 per hour at the top of band.

Band 8d pay in Northern Ireland, 2025/26

Deputy directors and large-service heads.

Minimum: £91,342
Maximum: £105,337
Hourly at top: £53.87
Years to top: 5

Calculate take-home pay for Band 8d in Northern Ireland

Step	Years from entry	Annual	Hourly (37.5h)
Entry	From day one	£91,342	£46.71
Intermediate	After 2 years	£96,941	£49.58
Top	After 5 years	£105,337	£53.87
Full range		£91,342 to £105,337	£46.71 to £53.87

Northern Ireland, 2025/26, effective 2025-04-01. Source: HSC (AfC) 06/2025 — Agenda for Change Pay Arrangements 2025/26.

Band 8d in Northern Ireland, what the role involves

Band 8d is the senior deputy band. Deputy directors of nursing, deputy chief allied health professionals, directors of a major clinical service line and very senior operational managers typically sit here. Band 8d roles are board-adjacent: the staff reporting directly to an executive director sit at this band.

Whole service line responsibility, multi-million pound budgets, and direct accountability to the executive team. Most Band 8d staff don't do clinical work at all. The role is strategic planning, performance management of large teams of Band 8c and 8b managers, and acting as the executive director's deputy across the service.

How NHS pay is set in Northern Ireland

Health and Social Care (HSC) staff in Northern Ireland sit on the same Agenda for Change framework as the rest of the UK. Pay is set by the Department of Health's Workforce Policy Directorate, which usually adopts the NHS Pay Review Body recommendation. Pay circulars are published as HSC (AfC) letters and apply to staff across the integrated HSC Trusts rather than separate NHS Trusts.

Northern Ireland's health service is integrated with social care, so Agenda for Change covers HSC Trusts rather than NHS Trusts only. The Department of Health takes the PRB recommendation, secures Executive approval (when there is a functioning Executive), and issues an HSC (AfC) pay arrangement circular. Pay is usually applied from 1 April with arrears paid later in the year, often after a delay caused by political processes at Stormont.

How Band 8d pay in Northern Ireland compares to other UK nations

At the top of Band 8d in Northern Ireland, staff earn £105,337 per year for 2025/26. Scotland pays Band 8d more at the top of band: £112,426, a difference of £7,089 per year (6.7% more than Northern Ireland).

Band 8d pay sits in the £90,000 to £110,000 range across all four nations. The Scottish pay structure caps slightly lower than England at the top step.

Recent NHS pay history in Northern Ireland

The 2025/26 settlement applied a 3.6% consolidated uplift, matching England and Wales in percentage terms. The previous round (2024/25) was delayed by Executive politics but eventually delivered. The 2026/27 settlement is expected later in 2026 following the PRB report and Executive approval. NI HSC pay has consistently tracked England exactly because the Department of Health applies the PRB recommendation in full.

Common questions about Band 8d pay in Northern Ireland

What is the Band 8d salary in Northern Ireland for 2025/26?: Band 8d in Northern Ireland pays from £91,342 at entry to £105,337 at the top of the scale for 2025/26. Staff progress through 5 years to reach top of band.
Does Northern Ireland pay Band 8d the same as the other UK nations?: No. Scotland pays Band 8d more at the top of band, with a top rate of £112,426 compared to £105,337 in Northern Ireland. The difference is £7,089 per year (6.7%).
What is the hourly rate for Band 8d in Northern Ireland?: Based on a standard 37.5-hour NHS week, Band 8d entry pay of £91,342 works out at £46.71 per hour, rising to £53.87 per hour at the top of band.
How is Band 8d pay set in Northern Ireland?: Northern Ireland's health service is integrated with social care, so Agenda for Change covers HSC Trusts rather than NHS Trusts only. The Department of Health takes the PRB recommendation, secures Executive approval (when there is a functioning Executive), and issues an HSC (AfC) pay arrangement circular. Pay is usually applied from 1 April with arrears paid later in the year, often after a delay caused by political processes at Stormont.