NHS Senior Staff Nurse salary, 2026/27
Senior staff nurses are experienced registered nurses who have taken on additional responsibilities beyond a Band 5 role, often including coordinating shifts, supporting more junior staff and acting as the deputy to the ward sister or charge nurse. The role is consistently graded at Band 6 across the NHS, with the title sometimes appearing as 'band 6 nurse' or 'deputy sister'.
- Range (England)
- £39,959 to £48,117
- Typical band
- Band 6
- Hourly entry
- £20.44
- Hourly top
- £24.61
Senior Staff Nurse pay by band, England 2026/27
The table below shows the entry and top step at each band Senior Staff Nurses are typically paid on. Most Senior Staff Nurses move through the bands over the course of their career as they take on more senior or specialist responsibilities.
Senior Staff Nurse salary after tax, 2026/27
The figures below show Senior Staff Nurse 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 6 | £29,157 | £34,391 | £2,866 | 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.
Senior Staff Nurse 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 6 | £43,231 | £52,679 |
Common questions
- What pay band is a Senior Staff Nurse on?
- Most NHS Senior Staff Nurses are banded at Band 6. 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 Senior Staff Nurse earn in 2026/27?
- On the 2026/27 England pay scale, an NHS Senior Staff Nurse earns between £39,959 and £48,117 a year gross, depending on band and step. At the lowest entry rate that works out to roughly £20.44 an hour, and at the top rate roughly £24.61 an hour. Take-home pay after tax, NI and the NHS pension contribution is typically 70% of the gross figure. Scottish Senior Staff Nurses earn between £43,231 and £52,679 on the equivalent Scottish scale.
- Where can I find Senior Staff Nurse 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 Senior Staff Nurse salary after tax?
- An NHS Senior Staff Nurse starting on Band 6 (£39,959 gross) takes home around £29,157 a year after income tax, employee National Insurance and the NHS pension contribution — about £2,430 a month. At the top of Band 6 (£48,117 gross), take-home pay is £34,391 a year, or £2,866 a month. The figures exclude student loan repayments, unsocial hours and London weighting.
- Does Senior Staff Nurse get London weighting?
- Only at NHS Trusts in England inside one of the three London weighting (HCAS) zones. Senior Staff Nurses 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 Senior Staff Nurses don't receive a London weighting equivalent.