NHS Midwife Salary 2026/27: Band 5 to Band 6 and Specialist Pay
Most newly qualified midwives move from Band 5 to Band 6 after their first year. Here is what midwives earn at each stage.
Updated · 4 min read
Try it with your own numbersNHS Take-Home Pay CalculatorMidwives are paid on the Agenda for Change scale. Like paramedics, they usually have a planned move from Band 5 to Band 6 early in their career. After that, pay depends on whether you stay in clinical practice, specialise or move into leadership.
Newly qualified midwives: Band 5
Midwives registering with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) usually start on Band 5:
| Pay point | Salary | Monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Band 5 entry | £32,073 | £2,040 |
This figure is for full-time hours with the NHS Pension and tax code 1257L, without a student loan.
The move to Band 6
The national job profile for a midwife places a qualified midwife at Band 6, with newly qualified midwives starting on Band 5 during a period of preceptorship. In most trusts in England, midwives move to Band 6 after completing preceptorship, usually around 12 months.
| Band 6 step | Salary | Monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|
| Entry | £39,959 | £2,430 |
| After 2 years | £42,170 | £2,548 |
| After 5 years | £48,117 | £2,866 |
That move is worth £7,886 a year in basic pay. If your trust delays it, ask for the local policy in writing.
Specialist, team leader and consultant midwives
- Band 7: team leaders, specialist midwives (for example in diabetes, safeguarding, bereavement or perinatal mental health) and labour ward coordinators. Pay runs from £49,387 to £56,515.
- Band 8a and above: matrons, consultant midwives and heads of midwifery.
Shift patterns, on-call and unsocial hours
Midwives in hospital settings work a full 24-hour rota. Unsocial hours enhancements for Bands 5 to 7 are:
- Nights (8pm to 6am) and Saturdays: basic plus 30%
- Sundays and public holidays: basic plus 60%
For a Band 6 midwife at entry, that is £26.57 an hour on a Saturday and £32.70 on a Sunday.
Community midwives often work on-call shifts to cover home births. On-call payments and callout pay are set under local arrangements, so the amount differs between trusts.
A month on a typical rota
Take a Band 6 midwife at entry working 150 hours a month, including 36 hours of nights and 12 hours on a Sunday:
- Basic pay: £3,330
- Nights: 36 × £20.44 × 30% = £221
- Sunday: 12 × £20.44 × 60% = £147
Total gross for the month: about £3,698. The shift pay calculator shows the value of each shift in your own pattern.
How a midwife's pay builds over a career
A simplified example for a midwife who moves to Band 6 after one year and to a Band 7 specialist role after eight, at 2026/27 rates:
| Years | Band and step | Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | Band 5 entry | £32,073 |
| Years 2 to 3 | Band 6 entry | £39,959 |
| Years 4 to 6 | Band 6 after 2 years | £42,170 |
| Years 7 to 8 | Band 6 after 5 years | £48,117 |
| Year 9 onwards | Band 7 entry, rising to £56,515 | £49,387 |
Annual pay awards usually lift every figure in the table each year, so real salaries will be higher by the time you reach each stage.
Student loans and newly qualified midwives
Most newly qualified midwives repay a student loan. On Plan 2, the deduction at Band 5 entry is about £20 a month, rising to about £79 a month once you move to Band 6. On Plan 5, which applies to courses that started from August 2023, repayments start at £25,000, so they are higher at the same salary. The student loan calculator shows your exact figure.
Tax relief on your NMC fee
Your annual NMC registration fee is on HMRC's list of approved professional fees, so you can claim tax relief on it. Basic rate taxpayers get 20% back. Approved claims usually go through your tax code, so you pay slightly less tax each month. You can claim through your personal tax account.
Student midwives
Student midwives in England can usually claim the NHS Learning Support Fund, with a training grant of £5,000 a year and extra amounts for childcare and travel to placements. Some trusts also offer midwifery degree apprenticeships.
Maternity pay for midwives
Midwives get the same NHS maternity pay as other staff: eight weeks at full pay, then 18 weeks at half pay plus Statutory Maternity Pay, then 13 weeks of SMP alone, once you have 12 months of continuous NHS service. The maternity pay calculator shows the amounts week by week.
Common questions
Do midwives get paid more than nurses? On the same band, no. The difference is that midwives usually move to Band 6 sooner.
What if I qualified as a nurse first? Dual-registered staff working as midwives are paid on the midwifery post's band.
Is the community or hospital better paid? It depends on the shift and on-call pattern. Hospital roles usually have more enhanced hours. Community roles have on-call payments instead.
See your take-home pay
Use the take-home pay calculator for your monthly pay, with your hours and student loan plan.
This guide explains the general rules for staff in England using 2026/27 figures. It is not financial advice. Your employer, payslip or NHS Pensions statement has the final word on your own pay.