NHS pay · Band 6 · 2026/27
NHS Band 6 pay, take-home & hourly rate
How much does NHS Band 6 take home?
NHS Band 6 pays between £38,682 and £46,580 in 2025/26 (England, full-time). At the entry point that's a take-home of about £2,387 a month after tax, National Insurance and the 9.8% NHS pension — roughly £19.84/hour before any night or weekend enhancements. Typical roles: junior sisters/charge nurses, specialist nurses, senior physios, paramedics.
Verified 12 August 2026
Band 6 take-home, broken down
Here's exactly where the money goes at the entry point of £38,682, using the correct NHS pension tier and 2025/26 income tax and National Insurance for England:
On top of this, your employer contributes £9,168 (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 6
Band 6 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 £20, that means:
- A weekday night hour (8pm–6am) is worth £26 instead of £20.
- A Sunday or bank-holiday hour is worth £32.
- A single 12-hour Sunday shift earns about £381.
Use the full NHS calculator to add up your own rota and see the exact monthly boost.
Band 6 roles
Band 6 typically covers: junior sisters/charge nurses, specialist nurses, senior physios, paramedics.
2026/27 pay (confirmed +3.3%)
From 1 April 2026, a confirmed 3.3% uplift takes Band 6 entry pay to about £39,959, and the top of band to £48,117. Because the pension and enhancements are percentages of basic pay, they rise too.