NHS Hourly Rates 2026/27 for Every Band and Pay Point

Hourly rates matter for bank shifts, overtime, unsocial hours and comparing NHS pay with other work. Agenda for Change uses a fixed formula, so once you know it you can check any figure on your payslip.

The formula

Your hourly rate is your annual salary divided by 52.143 weeks, then divided by 37.5 hours. The 52.143 is the average number of weeks in a year, allowing for leap years.

For a Band 5 on £32,073: £32,073 / 52.143 / 37.5 = £16.40 an hour.

Hourly rates for 2026/27 (entry points)

At the top of Band 5, on £39,043, the hourly rate is £19.97. The calculator shows every pay point in every band.

Overtime rates

For Bands 1 to 7, overtime is paid at time and a half, and double time on public holidays. At Band 5 entry that is £24.60 an hour for normal overtime and £32.81 on a bank holiday. Staff in Bands 8a and above are not normally paid overtime.

Unsocial hours

Enhancements for nights, Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays are a percentage of the hourly rate. For Bands 4 to 9 that is 30% or 60%. At Band 5 entry, an hour on a weekday night is worth an extra £4.92 and an hour on a Sunday an extra £9.84. See the unsocial hours guide for every band.

Bank shifts

Bank shifts are usually paid at the hourly rate for the band of the shift, plus any unsocial hours enhancement. Some trusts pay bank shifts at different rates during periods of high demand, and holiday pay for bank work is handled differently from substantive posts. Check your trust's bank policy.

Daily and weekly pay

A full working day is 7.5 hours, so at Band 5 entry a day's pay is £123.02 and a full-time week's pay is about £615.10.

Comparing with other jobs

When comparing an NHS hourly rate with a private sector job, remember the NHS package includes a generous pension, sick pay and annual leave. A higher hourly rate elsewhere may not be worth more overall.

Hourly rates at the top of each band

The top pay points have higher hourly rates. At the top of Band 6 (£48,117) the rate is about £24.61 an hour, and at the top of Band 7 (£56,515) about £28.90. The calculator lists every pay point in every band, so you can find your exact rate.

Common questions

Why does my payslip hourly rate differ slightly? Some payroll systems round the hourly rate to more decimal places, which can cause differences of a penny or two.

Does HCAS change my hourly rate? HCAS is paid as a separate supplement, not by increasing the hourly rate used for overtime and unsocial hours.

What is the hourly rate for a doctor? Resident doctors are on a different contract with a 40-hour basic week, so their hourly rate is basic pay divided by 52.143 weeks of 40 hours.

Is the NHS hourly rate above the minimum wage? Band 2 pay was set to stay above the National Living Wage, which is why Bands 1 and 2 have been merged at the same rate.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Using 52 weeks instead of 52.143, which slightly overstates the hourly rate.
• Comparing a bank hourly rate with substantive pay without allowing for holiday pay and pension.

Hourly rate versus salary for part-time staff

Part-time staff have the same hourly rate as full-time colleagues on the same pay point. A Band 5 on 30 hours a week still earns £16.40 an hour at the entry point, and their yearly salary is simply that rate multiplied by fewer hours. This is why extra hours worked by part-time staff are paid at plain time first: the hourly rate is already the same.

Look up your rate

The hourly rate calculator shows your hourly, daily, weekly and monthly pay, and a full table for every band and pay point. To see what overtime or unsocial hours add after tax, try the overtime take-home calculator.