NHS London Weighting (HCAS) 2026/27: Inner, Outer and Fringe Rates

Living and working in London costs more, and Agenda for Change recognises that with the high cost area supplement, usually called London weighting or HCAS. It is paid on top of your basic salary and can be worth more than a move up a pay point. Here is how it works in 2026/27.

The three zones

There are three areas, set by where your workplace is:

The fringe zone covers areas just outside London, including parts of the home counties. Your employer will tell you which zone your post is in. It depends on your place of work, not your home address.

The minimum and maximum

The percentage is applied to your basic salary, then checked against the floor and cap for your zone. This makes the supplement fairer across the bands. Lower earners get at least the minimum, even if the percentage would give them less, and higher earners are capped.

Worked examples

• Band 5 entry in Inner London (£32,073): 20% is £6,415, which is between the minimum and maximum, so the supplement is £6,415 a year.
• Band 5 entry in Outer London: 15% would be £4,811, below the £4,870 minimum, so the supplement is £4,870.
• Band 5 entry in the fringe: 5% is £1,604.
• Band 2 in Inner London (£25,272): 20% would be £5,054, so the minimum of £5,794 applies.
• Band 8c in Inner London (£79,504): 20% would be £15,901, so the cap of £8,746 applies.

Part-time staff

The supplement is worked out on the full-time salary and then scaled to your hours. A Band 5 in Inner London working 30 hours a week gets 80% of £6,415, which is £5,132 a year.

Tax and pension

HCAS is paid as part of your salary each month. It is taxed and has National Insurance taken in the same way as basic pay, and it is pensionable, so it counts towards your NHS Pension and your contribution tier. For someone near a tier threshold, that can move them into the next rate. The pension contribution guide explains the tiers.

Is it worth working in London?

The supplement does not fully cover the higher cost of housing in London for most people, but it narrows the gap. When you compare a job inside London with one outside, add the HCAS to the London salary and compare take-home pay rather than gross. The take-home pay guide shows how to do that.

Moving between zones

If you move to a post in a different zone, or your workplace moves, your supplement changes from the date of the move. Staff who move to a lower zone sometimes receive protection for a period under local policy. If you work across sites in different zones, your employer will decide your zone based on your main base.

Common questions

Is HCAS paid during maternity leave or sick leave? It is part of your normal pay, so it is included in occupational maternity pay and sick pay at the full or half rate, in the same way as basic pay.

Do bank staff get HCAS? Often yes, built into the hourly rate, but this depends on the trust.

Does HCAS increase overtime and unsocial hours rates? No. Those are worked out on basic pay. HCAS is paid as a separate supplement.

Is London weighting the same as recruitment and retention premia? No. Some posts also attract recruitment and retention premia, which are paid on top for hard-to-fill roles.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Assuming the zone is based on where you live rather than where you work.
• Forgetting the minimum payment, which can make HCAS worth more than the percentage suggests for lower bands.
• Comparing London and non-London jobs on basic salary alone.

Work out your supplement

The London weighting calculator applies the right percentage, minimum and maximum for your zone, band and hours, and shows the yearly and monthly amounts.