Band 8b NHS pay 2026/27
Band 8b covers strategic management and highly specialist clinical roles. It has three pay steps across roughly five years.
Band 8b pay steps
Full-time annual salary (37.5 hours/week, England). The 2026/27 rates include the 3.3% award effective 1 April 2026.
| Pay step | 2025/26 | 2026/27 | Increase | Hourly (26/27) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (< 2 years) | £64,455 | £66,582 | +£2,127 | £34.05 |
| 2+ years | £68,631 | £70,896 | +£2,265 | £36.26 |
| Top (5+ years) | £74,896 | £77,368 | +£2,472 | £39.57 |
Band 8b take-home pay 2026/27
Estimated deductions at each pay step, assuming NHS Pension membership, standard tax code (1257L), no student loan and no other deductions.
| Pay step | Gross | Pension | Income tax | Nat. Insurance | Take-home / year | Take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry (< 2 years) | £66,582 | £7,124 (10.7%) | £11,215 | £3,342 | £44,900 | £3,742 |
| 2+ years | £70,896 | £8,862 (12.5%) | £12,246 | £3,429 | £46,360 | £3,863 |
| Top (5+ years) | £77,368 | £9,671 (12.5%) | £14,511 | £3,558 | £49,628 | £4,136 |
Add student loan, switch tax year or turn pension off in the calculator.
Band 8b pay: quick answers
How much does a Band 8b earn in the NHS in 2026/27?+
In England, NHS Band 8b pay in 2026/27 runs from £66,582 at entry to £77,368 at the top step (full-time, 37.5 hours a week), including the 3.3% Agenda for Change pay award.
What is the monthly take-home pay for a Band 8b in 2026/27?+
Estimated take-home pay for a full-time Band 8b is roughly £3,742 to £4,136 a month depending on pay step, assuming NHS Pension membership, tax code 1257L and no student loan.
What is the Band 8b hourly rate in 2026/27?+
The full-time equivalent hourly rate for Band 8b ranges from £34.05 to £39.57 before deductions, based on 37.5 hours a week.
Sources & data checks
Salaries on this page are the official Agenda for Change pay scales for England published by NHS Employers. Deductions are calculated from HMRC 2026/27 tax and National Insurance thresholds and the NHS Pension member contribution tiers. Every figure is re-checked by an independent calculation before publication — last reviewed 17 July 2026.