NHS pay · Band 3 · 2026/27
NHS Band 3 pay, take-home & hourly rate
How much does NHS Band 3 take home?
NHS Band 3 pays between £24,937 and £26,598 in 2025/26 (England, full-time). At the entry point that's a take-home of about £1,692 a month after tax, National Insurance and the 6.5% NHS pension — roughly £12.79/hour before any night or weekend enhancements. Typical roles: emergency care assistants, senior hcas, medical secretaries.
Verified 12 August 2026
Band 3 take-home, broken down
Here's exactly where the money goes at the entry point of £24,937, using the correct NHS pension tier and 2025/26 income tax and National Insurance for England:
On top of this, your employer contributes £5,910 (23.7%) into your NHS pension — that's deferred pay you don't see on your payslip but genuinely own.
What nights & weekends add at Band 3
Band 3 unsocial-hours enhancements (Section 2) are +35% for weekday nights and Saturdays, and +69% for Sundays and bank holidays. At the entry hourly rate of £13, that means:
- A weekday night hour (8pm–6am) is worth £17 instead of £13.
- A Sunday or bank-holiday hour is worth £22.
- A single 12-hour Sunday shift earns about £259.
Use the full NHS calculator to add up your own rota and see the exact monthly boost.
Band 3 roles
Band 3 typically covers: emergency care assistants, senior hcas, medical secretaries.
2026/27 pay (confirmed +3.3%)
From 1 April 2026, a confirmed 3.3% uplift takes Band 3 entry pay to about £25,760, and the top of band to £27,476. Because the pension and enhancements are percentages of basic pay, they rise too.