The NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales for 2025/26 in England are expected to increase by 3.6% from 1 April 2025. This means a Band 5 nurse, for example, will start on a salary of £29,970, rising to £36,483 with experience. These figures cover the vast majority of NHS staff, excluding doctors, dentists and very senior managers.
This guide breaks down the new pay rates for each band, explains how you move up the salary points within your band, and offers practical advice on progressing your NHS career. Please note that these figures are for staff in England; pay rates are set separately in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
What is Agenda for Change?
Agenda for Change is the national pay and grading system for all NHS staff, with the exception of doctors, dentists, and some senior executives. It was introduced in 2004 to create a fairer, more transparent pay structure across the health service. Before AfC, there were hundreds of different pay systems, which made it difficult to ensure equal pay for work of equal value.
The core principle of AfC is that jobs are evaluated and matched to one of nine pay bands. Each band has a set salary range. This evaluation process, known as the NHS Job Evaluation Scheme, assesses roles based on factors like:
- Knowledge, training and experience
- Responsibility for patient care, policy, or resources
- Communication and relationship skills
- Physical and emotional effort
- Working conditions
This ensures that a role's pay band is determined by the skills and demands it entails, not just by its job title. Whether you're a porter, a paramedic, a healthcare scientist or a director of nursing, your pay is determined by this consistent framework.
NHS Pay Scales for 2025/26 in England
The following table shows the expected annual salaries for each Agenda for Change band in England from 1 April 2025, assuming the 3.6% pay award is applied. These salaries are for full-time staff working a standard 37.5-hour week. If you work part-time, your salary will be calculated on a pro-rata basis.
| Band | Salary Points for 2025/26 |
|---|---|
| Band 2 | £24,465 |
| Band 3 | £24,937 (entry) £26,598 (after 2 years) |
| Band 4 | £27,485 (entry) £30,162 (after 3 years) |
| Band 5 | £29,970 (entry) £32,324 (after 2 years) £36,483 (after 4 years) |
| Band 6 | £37,338 (entry) £39,405 (after 2 years) £44,962 (after 5 years) |
| Band 7 | £46,148 (entry) £48,526 (after 2 years) £52,809 (after 5 years) |
| Band 8a | £53,755 (entry) £60,504 (after 5 years) |
| Band 8b | £62,215 (entry) £72,293 (after 5 years) |
| Band 8c | £74,290 (entry) £85,601 (after 5 years) |
| Band 8d | £88,168 (entry) £101,677 (after 5 years) |
| Band 9 | £105,385 (entry) £121,271 (after 5 years) |
It's important to remember that these are the proposed figures based on the expected pay award. You should always confirm the final, confirmed rates with your employer or trade union once the official announcement is made.
How Pay Progression Works Within Your Band
As you can see from the table, most bands have several salary points. Moving from the entry point to the higher points is known as pay progression. This isn't just an automatic reward for length of service; it's designed to reflect your growing experience and competence in the role.
Progression to the next point on your band happens on the anniversary of your start date in that role, but it is always subject to you meeting certain standards. Your manager will typically confirm this during your annual appraisal. To progress, you usually need to demonstrate that you:
- Have met the knowledge and skills requirements for your role.
- Have successfully completed all mandatory and statutory training.
- Have had a positive appraisal in the last 12 months.
- Do not have any formal capability or disciplinary proceedings live against you.
For example, a newly qualified Band 5 occupational therapist starting on £29,970 would need to meet these standards to move up to £32,324 on their two-year anniversary in the post. Four years after starting, provided they continue to meet the requirements, they would move to the top of the band at £36,483.
If you have any concerns about your pay progression, the first step is to discuss it with your line manager. You can also seek advice from your union representative or your organisation's HR department.
Understanding Your Payslip: A Worked Example
Let's look at a practical example. David is a Band 6 charge nurse who has been in his role for three years. He works full-time (37.5 hours per week) in a hospital in Manchester.
Based on the 2025/26 scales, David is on the second pay point for Band 6, as he has more than two years of experience but less than five. His full-time equivalent (FTE) annual salary is £39,405.
To find his gross monthly pay, we divide his annual salary by 12:
£39,405 / 12 = £3,283.75 (gross pay per month)
This is his basic pay before any enhancements for unsocial hours (nights, weekends, bank holidays) are added. It's also before any deductions are taken off. From this gross amount, his employer will deduct:
- Income Tax: The amount depends on his tax code.
- National Insurance: A percentage of his earnings over a certain threshold.
- NHS Pension Contributions: The contribution rate is based on his pensionable earnings.
- Other deductions: This could include student loan repayments, union subscriptions, or salary sacrifice schemes.
The final amount David receives in his bank account is his net, or 'take-home', pay. If David worked part-time, say 30 hours a week (0.8 FTE), his annual salary would be 80% of the full-time rate: £39,405 x 0.8 = £31,524. All his deductions would then be calculated based on this pro-rata salary.
To see how these deductions might affect your own salary, you can use an NHS take-home pay calculator, which helps to estimate your net pay after tax, pension, and National Insurance.
Moving Up to the Next Pay Band
While pay progression gets you to the top of your current band, moving to a higher band altogether requires a new job. Promotion in the NHS means successfully applying for a role that has been evaluated at a higher band. This new role will come with increased responsibility, a different set of duties, and a more complex scope of practice.
If you're ambitious and want to climb the ladder, here are some steps you can take:
- Review Your Personal Development Plan (PDP): Use your annual appraisal to have an honest conversation with your manager about your career aspirations. Identify what skills, qualifications, or experience you need to be a strong candidate for a higher-banded role.
- Seek Out Development Opportunities: Volunteer for projects, ask to deputise for your manager, or take on new responsibilities that stretch you. This could involve mentoring a junior colleague, leading on a quality improvement initiative, or representing your team at meetings.
- Study Higher-Banded Job Descriptions: Look at the person specifications for roles in the band above yours. This is the blueprint for what you need to demonstrate. Do you have the required qualifications? Can you give evidence for each of the essential criteria?
- Build a Strong Application: When you apply for a promotion, your supporting statement is crucial. It needs to clearly show how your experience matches what the hiring manager is looking for. Our application copilot tool can help you structure your thoughts and write a compelling statement that highlights your suitability for the role.
Pay in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland
It's vital to remember that healthcare is a devolved power in the UK. This means that while the Agenda for Change framework is used across all four nations, the annual pay awards are negotiated separately by the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government, and the Northern Ireland Executive.
As a result, the salary figures for each band can and do differ from those in England. For example, in previous years, Scotland has offered a higher pay award than England, leading to different pay points for the same band. The structure of the bands can also sometimes vary slightly.
If you work in Scotland, Wales, or Northern Ireland, you must refer to the pay circulars issued by your respective health service. Do not use the England figures shown in this article. The most reliable sources of information are your employer's HR or payroll department, your union, or the official websites for NHS Scotland, NHS Wales, and Health and Social Care in Northern Ireland (HSCNI).
Key Takeaways
- The 2025/26 Agenda for Change pay scales for England are expected to rise by 3.6% from 1 April 2025.
- Progression through the pay points within your band is not automatic; it requires meeting performance and training standards confirmed at your appraisal.
- To move to a higher pay band, you must apply for and be appointed to a new, more senior role.
- Your take-home pay is your gross salary minus deductions like tax, National Insurance, and pension contributions.
- Pay rates for NHS staff in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland are set separately and will be different from the figures for England. Always check your local pay scales.