2026/27 rates
The minimum and maximum figures are for full-time staff, and the supplement is pro-rated for part-time hours.
| Zone | Percentage of basic pay | Minimum | Maximum |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% | £5,794 | £8,746 |
| Outer London | 15% | £4,870 | £6,137 |
| Fringe | 5% | £1,346 | £2,270 |
Worked examples
- Band 5, entry, inner London: 20% of £32,073 is £6,414.60, taking pay to £38,487.60 a year.
- Band 9, top point, inner London: 20% would be more than the cap, so the supplement is capped at £8,746.
- Band 2, inner London: 20% of basic would be below the floor, so the supplement is raised to the minimum of £5,794.
How much HCAS you get at each band
The table shows the supplement for a full-time employee at the entry point of each band. Low-paid bands hit the minimum, and the highest bands hit the maximum, so the percentage only decides the amount in the middle.
| Band | Entry pay | Inner London | Outer London | Fringe |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | £25,272 | £5,794 | £4,870 | £1,346 |
| Band 3 | £25,760 | £5,794 | £4,870 | £1,346 |
| Band 4 | £28,392 | £5,794 | £4,870 | £1,420 |
| Band 5 | £32,073 | £6,415 | £4,870 | £1,604 |
| Band 6 | £39,959 | £7,992 | £5,994 | £1,998 |
| Band 7 | £49,387 | £8,746 | £6,137 | £2,270 |
| Band 9 | £112,782 | £8,746 | £6,137 | £2,270 |
| Band 8a | £57,528 | £8,746 | £6,137 | £2,270 |
| Band 8b | £66,582 | £8,746 | £6,137 | £2,270 |
| Band 8c | £79,504 | £8,746 | £6,137 | £2,270 |
| Band 8d | £94,356 | £8,746 | £6,137 | £2,270 |
Part-time staff
HCAS is pro-rated for part-time hours. A Band 6 at the entry point working 22.5 hours a week in inner London gets £4,795.08 a year, which is 60% of the full-time £7,991.80.
The minimum and maximum in the rates table are full-time amounts, so they are scaled down in the same way.
Which zone you are in
HCAS is paid for working in the area, so what matters is where you work, not where you live. If you are not sure whether your post is inner London, outer London or the fringe, ask your HR or payroll team, who can confirm the zone that applies to you.
Pension and tax
Our calculators treat HCAS as taxable pay, subject to National Insurance and counted as pensionable. Confirm the pension treatment with your payroll team, because it can change which pension tier you are in.
Sources
Related
This is general information, not payroll or financial advice. See the terms.