NHS Director of Nursing salary, 2026/27
Trust-level Directors of Nursing lead the nursing workforce of an entire NHS Trust, sit on the Trust Board with full voting rights, hold professional accountability for nursing standards across the organisation, and contribute to executive-level decisions on strategy, performance and finance. The role is consistently graded at Band 9, the top of the Agenda for Change scale.
- Range (England)
- £112,782 to £129,783
- Typical band
- Band 9
- Hourly entry
- £57.68
- Hourly top
- £66.37
Director of Nursing pay by band, England 2026/27
The table below shows the entry and top step at each band Directors of Nursing are typically paid on. Most Directors of Nursing move through the bands over the course of their career as they take on more senior or specialist responsibilities.
Director of Nursing salary after tax, 2026/27
The figures below show Director of Nursing take-home pay — the cash that lands in your bank account after income tax, employee National Insurance and the NHS pension contribution on the 2026/27 England scale. They exclude London weighting, unsocial hours and overtime. The band-level take-home pages have the full step-by-step breakdown and London weighting variants.
Gross vs net at the top of each band on the 2026/27 England scale
| Band | Entry net | Top net | Monthly at top | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 9 | £67,512 | £76,098 | £6,341 | Full breakdown |
Assumes full-time pay, standard NHS Pension membership and no student loan. Open the band's take-home page for London weighting variants, or use the calculator to add part-time hours, student loan, or HCAS.
Director of Nursing pay in Scotland
Scottish NHS staff are paid on a separate pay scale, negotiated by the Scottish Government rather than the UK Pay Review Body. Scotland consistently pays more than England at every band. The figures below are the Scottish equivalents for the same bands.
| Band (Scotland) | Entry | Top |
|---|---|---|
| Band 9 | £127,521 | £133,044 |
Common questions
- What pay band is a Director of Nursing on?
- Most NHS Directors of Nursing are banded at Band 9. The exact responsibility level can vary slightly between Trusts, but the banding is consistent across the NHS because the Job Evaluation Scheme produces the same score for the same job description.
- How much does an NHS Director of Nursing earn in 2026/27?
- On the 2026/27 England pay scale, an NHS Director of Nursing earns between £112,782 and £129,783 a year gross, depending on band and step. At the lowest entry rate that works out to roughly £57.68 an hour, and at the top rate roughly £66.37 an hour. Take-home pay after tax, NI and the NHS pension contribution is typically 70% of the gross figure. Scottish Directors of Nursing earn between £127,521 and £133,044 on the equivalent Scottish scale.
- Where can I find Director of Nursing jobs in the NHS?
- NHS Jobs (jobs.nhs.uk) lists all current vacancies across the four UK nations. Filter by 'Pay Band' to focus on roles at the band you're interested in. HSC Recruit covers Northern Ireland (jobs.hscni.net) and NHS Scotland Jobs covers Scotland (jobs.scot.nhs.uk). Most Trusts also list vacancies on their own websites alongside the national portal.
- What is an NHS Director of Nursing salary after tax?
- An NHS Director of Nursing starting on Band 9 (£112,782 gross) takes home around £67,512 a year after income tax, employee National Insurance and the NHS pension contribution — about £5,626 a month. At the top of Band 9 (£129,783 gross), take-home pay is £76,098 a year, or £6,341 a month. The figures exclude student loan repayments, unsocial hours and London weighting.
- Does Director of Nursing get London weighting?
- Only at NHS Trusts in England inside one of the three London weighting (HCAS) zones. Directors of Nursing working at Inner London Trusts get 20% on top of basic pay (minimum £5,794, maximum £8,746 for 2026/27). Outer London is 15%, Fringe is 5%. Welsh, Scottish and Northern Irish Directors of Nursing don't receive a London weighting equivalent.