Working Part Time in the NHS: Pay, Pension and Leave Explained
Cutting your hours by 20% does not cut your take-home pay by 20%. Here is why, with real figures for part-time NHS staff.
Updated · 4 min read
Try it with your own numbersNHS Part-Time Pay CalculatorLots of NHS staff work part time, whether to fit around children, study, caring or a second job. If you are thinking of reducing your hours, the good news is that your take-home pay usually falls by less than your hours do. Here is how the numbers work.
Pro-rata salary
Part-time pay is the full-time salary scaled to your hours. Full time under Agenda for Change is 37.5 hours a week, so:
- 30 hours is 0.8 of full time
- 22.5 hours is 0.6 of full time
- 15 hours is 0.4 of full time
A Band 5 on the entry point earns £32,073 full time, so £25,658 at 30 hours and £19,244 at 22.5 hours. This is often written as your whole-time equivalent, or WTE.
Why take-home falls by less
Two things soften the drop:
- The tax-free allowance stays the same. The first £12,570 is tax free whatever your hours, so a bigger share of a smaller salary escapes tax.
- Your pension tier is based on actual pay. Part-time staff often fall into a lower contribution tier.
For a Band 5 on the entry point:
| Hours | Salary | Pension rate | Take-home per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| 37.5 | £32,073 | 8.3% | £2,040.21 |
| 30 | £25,658 | 6.5% | £1,721.62 |
| 22.5 | £19,244 | 6.5% | £1,364.54 |
Dropping to 30 hours cuts the salary by 20% but take-home by only about 16%. Dropping to 22.5 hours cuts the salary by 40% but take-home by about 33%.
Leave and public holidays
Leave is given in hours in proportion to your contract. A Band 5 with under five years' service on 30 hours gets 162 hours of annual leave plus 48 hours for public holidays. The annual leave guide explains how this works with shift patterns.
Extra hours
If you pick up extra hours, you are paid plain time plus any unsocial hours enhancement until you reach 37.5 hours in a week. Only after that do overtime rates apply. Unlike overtime for full-time staff, these extra hours are pensionable.
Your pension
You build up pension on what you actually earn, so part-time years add less to your eventual pension. On the other hand, you pay a lower contribution rate. If you plan to go back to full time later, the effect over a whole career may be modest. The pension at retirement guide shows how to estimate it.
Flexible working requests
You have the right to ask for flexible working from the first day of employment. Your employer must consider it seriously and can only refuse for set business reasons. Many trusts are keen to keep experienced staff, so it is worth asking even in busy services.
Other things to check
- Student loan: lower pay means lower repayments, and you repay nothing if you fall below your plan's threshold.
- Benefits: if your income falls a lot, you may become eligible for help such as Universal Credit or Tax-Free Childcare.
- Mortgage: lenders use your actual pay, so reducing hours before a mortgage application can reduce what you can borrow.
Choosing a pattern
Part-time patterns vary a lot: fewer days a week, shorter days, or term-time only working where hours are averaged over the year. Term-time contracts usually pay the same amount every month, based on the total hours worked across the year, so your pay does not drop in the school holidays.
Common questions
Can I go back to full time later? Many employers will agree, but there is no automatic right to return to full-time hours. Agree any arrangement in writing if it matters to you.
Do part-time staff get the same pay progression? Yes. Progression is based on time on the pay point, not hours.
How does part-time work affect maternity pay? Occupational maternity pay is based on your actual pay, so it is lower if you work part time. Check your hours before you start maternity leave if you are thinking about changing them.
Will I pay less student loan? Yes, because repayments are based on your actual earnings above the threshold.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Forgetting that leave is reduced in proportion, so the hours available match your new contract.
- Not checking the pension tier, which may change in your favour.
Try different hours
The part-time pay calculator shows your pro-rata salary, hourly rate, pension tier, leave and take-home pay for any number of hours a week, so you can compare options before you speak to your manager.
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.