Every pay point on NHS Band 8b
| Pay point | Basic pay | Pension rate | Take-home a year | A month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry point | £66,582 | 10.7% | £44,900 | £3,742 |
| Intermediate point | £70,896 | 12.5% | £46,360 | £3,863 |
| Top point | £77,368 | 12.5% | £49,628 | £4,136 |
The band spans £10,786 from bottom to top. Each point has its own page with the full working, the London supplement, part-time figures and the student loan position at that salary.
Pension contributions on NHS Band 8b
The NHS Pension Scheme charges a tiered member contribution on actual annual pensionable pay. The bottom of the band pays 10.7% and the top pays 12.5%, because the band crosses a tier boundary. Contributions are taken before income tax, so the cost to take-home pay is less than the headline percentage.
| Pensionable pay | Member contribution |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,259 to £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,854 to £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,155 to £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,778 to £67,668 | 10.7% |
| Above £67,668 | 12.5% |
Source: NHS Employers, NHS Pension Scheme member contributions. The NHS pension calculator shows what the contribution builds up.
NHS Band 8b with a London supplement
A high cost area supplement is a percentage of basic pay between a cash floor and a cash ceiling. It is pensionable and it counts towards the pension tier.
| Pay point | Rest of England | Fringe | Outer London | Inner London |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry point | £66,582 | £68,852 | £72,719 | £75,328 |
| Intermediate point | £70,896 | £73,166 | £77,033 | £79,642 |
| Top point | £77,368 | £79,638 | £83,505 | £86,114 |
What is different in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
Agenda for Change is a United Kingdom framework, but pay is negotiated separately in each country, so the cash values above are the England scale only. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland publish their own scales, and the band values and the number of points in a band can differ in the same year. Income tax also differs in Scotland: at £66,582 Scottish rates would leave about £43,161 against £44,900 in England. The Scottish income tax calculator shows the working.
Bands either side of Band 8b
| Band | Bottom of band | Top of band |
|---|---|---|
| NHS Band 8a | £57,528 | £64,750 |
| NHS Band 8b | £66,582 | £77,368 |
| NHS Band 8c | £79,504 | £91,609 |
Work out your own figure
The tables assume full-time hours, the standard tax code and no student loan, and they exclude unsocial hours payments and overtime. Open the NHS pay calculator to set your own band, point, hours, London area and loan plan, or read the guide to the 2026/27 NHS pay bands.