NHS Band 2 Pay 2026/27
NHS Band 2 covers support and entry-level roles on Agenda for Change in England, such as healthcare assistants and administrative support staff. For 2026/27, the full-time Band 2 rate is a single flat salary of £25,272 a year, unlike higher bands which have several pay points to progress through.
NHS Band 2 salary, 2026/27
Band 2 has a single pay point, the standard rate, rather than several points to progress through. The figure below is full-time equivalent, based on standard Agenda for Change hours of 37.5 a week. This page covers NHS England Agenda for Change staff only, not doctors, dentists, Very Senior Managers, or staff in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.
| Pay point | Annual salary (FTE) | Monthly gross equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| Standard rate | £25,272.00 | £2,106.00 |
Estimated Band 2 take-home pay
Estimated figures for England, 2026/27, based on 37.5 contracted hours a week, NHS Pension Scheme membership, outside any High Cost Area, no undergraduate student loan and no Postgraduate Loan.
| Pay point | Annual gross | NHS Pension | Income Tax | Employee NI | Monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard rate | £25,272.00 | £1,642.68 | £2,211.86 | £1,016.16 | £1,700.11 |
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Change your pay point, contracted hours, HCAS zone, NHS Pension membership and student loan to get an estimate for your own circumstances.
Use the NHS Pay CalculatorNHS Pension for Band 2 staff
Most Band 2 staff are automatically enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme. Your contribution rate is tiered and based on your actual annual pensionable pay. For a full-time Band 2 employee in 2026/27 the estimated contribution rate is 6.5%.
Because the tier depends on your actual pay, working part-time can place you in a lower contribution tier than a full-time colleague on the same rate. NHS Pension contributions are deducted from your pay before Income Tax is calculated, so you receive tax relief automatically through payroll; they are not deducted before National Insurance or student loan calculations, which use your full gross pay.
Band 2 part-time pay
Standard Agenda for Change full-time hours are 37.5 a week. Part-time basic salary is calculated proportionally: your contracted hours divided by 37.5, multiplied by the full-time equivalent salary. Band 2 roles are commonly part-time; the examples below use the standard rate.
| Contracted hours | Actual basic salary | Estimated monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|
| 30 hours | £20,217.60 | £1,418.75 |
| 22.5 hours | £15,163.20 | £1,137.38 |
| 18.75 hours | £12,636.00 | £997.80 |
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Band 2 pay in London (HCAS)
The High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS), also called London weighting, is an additional payment for staff working in or near London, calculated as a percentage of basic salary and subject to a minimum and maximum for each zone. HCAS is based on your workplace location, not your home address, and is pensionable, taxable and subject to National Insurance in the normal way.
| Zone | HCAS amount | Gross pay | Estimated monthly take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | £5,794.00 | £31,066.00 | £1,985.36 |
| Outer London | £4,870.00 | £30,142.00 | £1,935.03 |
| Fringe | £1,346.00 | £26,618.00 | £1,775.04 |
Student loans and Band 2 pay
Student loan repayments reduce take-home pay and are calculated on your full gross pay, in the same way as National Insurance, not on your pay after pension contributions. The NHS Pay Calculator supports Plan 1, Plan 2, Plan 4, Plan 5 and the Postgraduate Loan, including both an undergraduate plan and a Postgraduate Loan at the same time.
| Scenario | Estimated monthly take-home |
|---|---|
| No student loan | £1,700.11 |
| Plan 2 undergraduate loan | £1,700.11 |
Band 2 pay progression
Unlike Bands 3 and above, Band 2 has a single pay point rather than several points to move through over time. There is no in-band progression to a higher Band 2 rate: the standard rate applies from the point an employee is assessed as competent in the role.
Moving to higher pay typically means moving into a Band 3 role or above, either in the same team or elsewhere, rather than progressing within Band 2 itself.
Why your Band 2 payslip can differ from this estimate
- Your specific tax code
- Whether you are a member of the NHS Pension Scheme
- Your actual contracted hours
- Your High Cost Area Supplement zone, if any
- Any student loan or Postgraduate Loan repayments
- Overtime
- Unsocial-hours enhancements
- On-call payments
- Local or individual deductions
- Prior-period payroll adjustments and back pay
Official sources
Official sources
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Frequently asked questions
What is NHS Band 2 salary in 2026/27?
How much is NHS Band 2 take-home pay per month?
How much NHS Pension does a Band 2 employee pay?
What is Band 2 pay for 22.5 hours a week?
How much does a Band 2 employee earn in London?
Does Band 2 have pay-point progression?
Does a student loan reduce Band 2 take-home pay?
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This is an estimate for general guidance only. It is not an official NHS calculator and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the NHS. It covers NHS England Agenda for Change staff only, not doctors, dentists, Very Senior Managers, or staff in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, and does not include overtime, unsocial-hours enhancements, on-call payments, recruitment and retention premia or salary sacrifice. Your actual payroll can differ due to your tax code, local arrangements, prior-period payroll, benefits, deductions and other circumstances. This is not financial or employment advice. Check NHS Employers, NHSBSA or GOV.UK guidance, or your payslip, for your exact figures.