NHS Band 8a take-home pay
A Band 8a salary in England runs from £57,528 to £64,750 a year in 2026/27. The tables below show what that is each month after NHS Pension, tax and National Insurance.
NHS Band 8a salary and take-home pay: England
| Pay point | Annual | Hourly | Pension | Take-home a month | Inner London |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £57,528 | £29.42 | 10.7% | £3,352.58 | £3,728.51 |
| Middle | £60,417 | £30.90 | 10.7% | £3,476.76 | £3,790.44 |
| Top | £64,750 | £33.11 | 10.7% | £3,663.00 | £3,972.79 |
Full-time (37.5 hours), NHS Pension, no student loan, tax code 1257L. The Inner London column adds the 20% high cost area supplement.
NHS Scotland Band 8a pay
| Pay point | Annual | Hourly | Pension* | Take-home a month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £65,125 | £34.69 | 10.7% | £3,536.36 |
| Top | £70,303 | £37.45 | 12.5% | £3,690.06 |
Full-time (36 hours), Scottish income tax bands, official 3.75% award. *Scottish pension bandings are not yet verified, so the England tiers are used as an estimate. Sources: gov.scot and NHS Employers.
Band 8a unsocial hours pay
At Band 8a you are paid time plus 30% for weekday hours between 8pm and 6am and for all of Saturday, and time plus 60% on Sundays and bank holidays. For your own figure, put your hours into the NHS pay calculator, which also takes London weighting and a student loan.
Related: all NHS pay scales for 2026/27, NHS Pension contribution rates and the 2026/27 pay rise.
NHS Band 8a questions
How much does an NHS Band 8a earn?
In England a Band 8a salary runs from £57,528 to £64,750 a year in 2026/27, depending on your pay point. In Scotland it runs from £65,125 to £70,303.
What is Band 8a take-home pay each month?
At the entry point in England, a full-time Band 8a employee in the NHS Pension Scheme with no student loan takes home about £3,352.58 a month, and about £3,663.00 at the top point. Your own figure depends on hours, pension, tax code and any loan.
What unsocial hours rates apply to Band 8a?
Band 8a is paid time plus 30% for weekday hours between 8pm and 6am and all Saturday hours, and time plus 60% on Sundays and public holidays.