Band 1 pay in Wales, 2026/27

Band 1 in Wales, what the role involves

Band 1 is the lowest pay band on the Agenda for Change scale and it has been closed to new entrants for over a decade. The roles that historically sat at Band 1 (mostly domestic, driver and housekeeping work) were re-evaluated and moved up to Band 2 in 2018 to keep them above the National Living Wage. A small number of staff remain on Band 1 today, because they were employed before the change took effect and never moved to a new contract.

Band 1 work was traditionally focused on keeping NHS sites running rather than direct patient care. Typical duties included cleaning wards and clinical areas, transporting laundry and supplies, basic housekeeping, and minibus driving for patient transport services. If you see a Band 1 role described in any Trust documentation today, treat it as a legacy reference rather than a live vacancy.

How NHS pay is set in Wales

NHS Wales follows the same Agenda for Change framework as the rest of the UK but issues its own pay circulars (AfC(W) letters) signed off by the Welsh Government's Health and Social Services Group. Welsh settlements have historically tracked England closely, although the 2025/26 deal pulled Welsh entry rates slightly ahead at the bottom of the scale.

The Welsh Government considers the NHS Pay Review Body recommendation alongside its own pay strategy. Welsh ministers usually adopt the PRB uplift, but they have occasionally gone further or applied it differently for specific bands. Pay circulars are published by the Health and Social Services Group and apply from 1 April with backdated arrears paid later in the year.

How Band 1 pay in Wales compares to other UK nations

At the top of Band 1 in Wales, staff earn £26,300 per year for 2026/27. Scotland pays Band 1 more at the top of band: £26,557, a difference of £257 per year (1.0% more than Wales).

All four nations of the UK have closed Band 1 to new entrants. The few remaining Band 1 staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are paid the same rate as Band 2 entry. In Scotland the rate is also aligned with the lowest Living Wage spinal point.

Recent NHS pay history in Wales

The 2025/26 settlement applied a 3.6% consolidated uplift, mirroring England in percentage terms. Welsh Band 3 entry was lifted to £25,313 (slightly above England's £24,937), reflecting the Welsh Government's stated commitment to keep the lowest entry rates above the Living Wage Foundation real Living Wage. The 2026/27 deal applied 3.3% on top, again broadly in line with England.