NHS pay scales 2025/26
Annual pay scales for every NHS band in 2025/26, drawn from the official circular for each of the four UK nations. England uplift: 3.6% on 2024/25 pay scales.
The 2025/26 NHS pay deal
The 2025/26 pay round delivered a 3.6% consolidated uplift across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland's multi-year deal applied 4.4% to its 2024/25 figures after its inflation guarantee was triggered.
The NHS Pay Review Body recommended 3.6% in its 38th report. The UK Government accepted the recommendation, with NHS Employers publishing the new pay scales on 22 May 2025 and the uplift backdated to 1 April 2025. Wales and Northern Ireland adopted the same percentage. Scotland's 4.25% deal-implied figure for 2025/26 was lifted to 4.4% in early 2026 when CPI inflation was confirmed at 3.4%, triggering the inflation guarantee in the Scottish multi-year settlement.
Headline figures, 2025/26
The most-searched NHS bands are 5, 6 and 7, covering staff nurses, specialist nurses and ward managers. Entry salaries for these bands are shown below for each nation.
| Band | England | Scotland | Wales | N. Ireland |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 entry | £31,049 | £33,295 | £31,516 | £31,049 |
| Band 6 entry | £38,682 | £41,668 | £39,263 | £38,682 |
| Band 7 entry | £47,810 | £50,935 | £48,527 | £47,810 |
What changed in 2025/26
Every pay point moved up by 3.6% in England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Scotland by 4.4%. The pay scale structure (number of steps, progression years) was unchanged from 2024/25. The new intermediate steps for Bands 8a through 9 introduced in 2024/25 remained, giving senior staff an explicit progression point rather than the previous single-step structure.
Union response
The 2025/26 deal was accepted without industrial action across the four nations. Most union ballots showed members reluctantly accepting the offer rather than backing strike action, which contrasted with the strike-heavy 2022 and 2023 rounds. The settlement was helped by a stronger headline figure than the previous several years and the addition of intermediate pay points for Bands 8a-9 in 2024/25, which had improved pay progression for senior staff.
England
3.6% uplift, effective 2025-04-01
| Band | Minimum | Steps | Maximum | Hourly at top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | £24,465 | 1 | Single rate | £12.51 |
| Band 2 | £24,465 | 1 | Single rate | £12.51 |
| Band 3 | £24,937 | 2 | £26,598 | £13.60 |
| Band 4 | £27,485 | 2 | £30,162 | £15.43 |
| Band 5 | £31,049 | 3 | £37,796 | £19.33 |
| Band 6 | £38,682 | 3 | £46,580 | £23.82 |
| Band 7 | £47,810 | 3 | £54,710 | £27.98 |
| Band 8a | £55,690 | 3 | £62,682 | £32.06 |
| Band 8b | £64,455 | 3 | £74,896 | £38.30 |
| Band 8c | £76,965 | 3 | £88,682 | £45.35 |
| Band 8d | £91,342 | 3 | £105,337 | £53.87 |
| Band 9 | £109,179 | 3 | £125,637 | £64.25 |
England pay scales for 2025/26, effective 2025-04-01. Hourly rate uses the 37.5-hour NHS working week. Source: Pay scales for 2025/26 — NHS Employers.
Scotland
4.4% uplift, effective 2025-04-01
| Band | Minimum | Steps | Maximum | Hourly at top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | £25,597 | 1 | Single rate | £13.09 |
| Band 2 | £25,731 | 2 | £27,941 | £14.29 |
| Band 3 | £28,051 | 2 | £30,274 | £15.48 |
| Band 4 | £30,397 | 2 | £33,063 | £16.91 |
| Band 5 | £33,295 | 3 | £41,483 | £21.21 |
| Band 6 | £41,668 | 3 | £50,775 | £25.97 |
| Band 7 | £50,935 | 3 | £59,244 | £30.30 |
| Band 8a | £62,772 | 2 | £67,762 | £34.65 |
| Band 8b | £74,109 | 2 | £79,278 | £40.54 |
| Band 8c | £87,526 | 2 | £93,820 | £47.98 |
| Band 8d | £103,913 | 2 | £108,362 | £55.42 |
| Band 9 | £122,912 | 2 | £128,236 | £65.58 |
Scotland pay scales for 2025/26, effective 2025-04-01. Hourly rate uses the 37.5-hour NHS working week. Source: PCS(AFC)2026/1 — Pay and conditions for NHS staff covered by AfC.
Wales
3.6% uplift, effective 2025-04-01
| Band | Minimum | Steps | Maximum | Hourly at top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | £24,833 | 1 | Single rate | £12.70 |
| Band 2 | £24,833 | 1 | Single rate | £12.70 |
| Band 3 | £25,313 | 2 | £26,999 | £13.81 |
| Band 4 | £27,898 | 2 | £30,615 | £15.66 |
| Band 5 | £31,516 | 3 | £38,364 | £19.62 |
| Band 6 | £39,263 | 3 | £47,280 | £24.18 |
| Band 7 | £48,527 | 3 | £55,532 | £28.40 |
| Band 8a | £56,514 | 3 | £63,623 | £32.54 |
| Band 8b | £65,424 | 3 | £76,021 | £38.88 |
| Band 8c | £78,120 | 3 | £90,013 | £46.03 |
| Band 8d | £92,713 | 3 | £106,919 | £54.68 |
| Band 9 | £110,818 | 3 | £127,523 | £65.22 |
Wales pay scales for 2025/26, effective 2025-04-01. Hourly rate uses the 37.5-hour NHS working week. Source: AfC(W) 02/2025 — Agenda for change payscales 2025/2026.
Northern Ireland
3.6% uplift, effective 2025-04-01
| Band | Minimum | Steps | Maximum | Hourly at top |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 1 closed | £24,465 | 1 | Single rate | £12.51 |
| Band 2 | £24,465 | 1 | Single rate | £12.51 |
| Band 3 | £24,937 | 2 | £26,598 | £13.60 |
| Band 4 | £27,485 | 2 | £30,162 | £15.43 |
| Band 5 | £31,049 | 3 | £37,796 | £19.33 |
| Band 6 | £38,682 | 3 | £46,580 | £23.82 |
| Band 7 | £47,810 | 3 | £54,710 | £27.98 |
| Band 8a | £55,690 | 3 | £62,682 | £32.06 |
| Band 8b | £64,455 | 3 | £74,896 | £38.30 |
| Band 8c | £76,965 | 3 | £88,682 | £45.35 |
| Band 8d | £91,342 | 3 | £105,337 | £53.87 |
| Band 9 | £109,179 | 3 | £125,637 | £64.25 |
Northern Ireland pay scales for 2025/26, effective 2025-04-01. Hourly rate uses the 37.5-hour NHS working week. Source: HSC (AfC) 06/2025 — Agenda for Change Pay Arrangements 2025/26.
Common questions about 2025/26 NHS pay
- What is the NHS pay scale for 2025/26?
- The 2025/26 NHS pay scale in England applied a 3.6% consolidated uplift to all Agenda for Change pay points, backdated to 2025-04-01. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each negotiated separately, with the figures shown in the tables below.
- Do all four UK nations pay the same NHS rates in 2025/26?
- No. Each nation negotiates its own pay scale. England, Wales and Northern Ireland usually follow the NHS Pay Review Body recommendation, while Scotland negotiates directly between the Scottish Government and trade unions. Differences are usually small at lower bands but can be larger at senior bands.
- When was the 2025/26 NHS pay rise paid?
- England, Wales and Northern Ireland staff saw the new rate in their June or July 2025 payslip with arrears back to 1 April. Scotland's 4.4% revision was paid out in February and March 2026 after the inflation guarantee was triggered, with arrears back to 1 April 2025.
- How much was the 2025/26 uplift in cash?
- A Band 5 newly qualified nurse saw entry pay rise from £29,970 to £31,049, a £1,079 annual increase. A Band 6 specialist nurse went from £37,338 to £38,682, up £1,344. A Band 7 ward manager at the top step moved from £52,809 to £54,710, a £1,901 increase.
- Was the 2025/26 deal accepted by unions?
- Yes, all major NHS unions accepted the 2025/26 settlement without industrial action. The RCN, Unison, Unite and others ran consultative ballots; while many members described the offer as below what they felt they deserved, the majority view was to accept rather than strike.