NHS pay · Band 5 · 2026/27
NHS Band 5 pay, take-home & hourly rate
How much does NHS Band 5 take home?
NHS Band 5 pays between £31,049 and £37,796 in 2025/26 (England, full-time). At the entry point that's a take-home of about £2,002 a month after tax, National Insurance and the 8.3% NHS pension — roughly £15.92/hour before any night or weekend enhancements. Typical roles: newly-qualified nurses, midwives, paramedics, ahps, biomedical scientists.
Verified 12 August 2026
Band 5 take-home, broken down
Here's exactly where the money goes at the entry point of £31,049, using the correct NHS pension tier and 2025/26 income tax and National Insurance for England:
On top of this, your employer contributes £7,359 (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 5
Band 5 unsocial-hours enhancements (Section 2) are +30% for weekday nights and Saturdays, and +60% for Sundays and bank holidays. At the entry hourly rate of £16, that means:
- A weekday night hour (8pm–6am) is worth £21 instead of £16.
- A Sunday or bank-holiday hour is worth £25.
- A single 12-hour Sunday shift earns about £306.
Use the full NHS calculator to add up your own rota and see the exact monthly boost.
Band 5 roles
Band 5 typically covers: newly-qualified nurses, midwives, paramedics, ahps, biomedical scientists.
2026/27 pay (confirmed +3.3%)
From 1 April 2026, a confirmed 3.3% uplift takes Band 5 entry pay to about £32,074, and the top of band to £39,043. Because the pension and enhancements are percentages of basic pay, they rise too.