The 2026/27 pay award for NHS staff on Agenda for Change contracts in England is 3.3%, effective from 1 April 2026. The award applies to all pay points in bands 1 to 9, so every member of staff sees the same percentage increase regardless of band or step.
In cash terms the rise ranges from around £807 a year at the bottom of the scale (Band 2 moves from £24,465 to £25,272) to over £4,100 a year at the top of Band 9 (£125,637 to £129,783).
What the rise looks like at common bands
A newly qualified Band 5 nurse moves from £31,049 to £32,073 — an extra £1,024 a year before deductions. A Band 6 at the top step moves from £46,580 to £48,117, an extra £1,537. A Band 7 ward manager at the top step moves from £54,710 to £56,515.
Because income tax and National Insurance thresholds remain frozen in 2026/27, part of every rise is absorbed by deductions. Staff whose pay crosses £50,270 will pay 40% tax on the portion above that line; use the calculator on this site to see your personal take-home change.
When will it be paid?
The award took effect on 1 April 2026. Where an award is confirmed after April, trusts pay the new rate from the following pay period and back-pay the difference to 1 April. The 2026/27 scales were confirmed in February 2026, so pay packets reflected the new rates from April.
Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland negotiate their own Agenda for Change awards, which may differ from the England figure. The tables on this site show England rates.
Pension contribution knock-on effects
NHS Pension contribution tiers were uplifted by 3.8% (September 2025 CPI) from 1 April 2026, which is more than the 3.3% pay award. That means very few staff move up a contribution tier purely because of the pay rise — a deliberate design of the tier system.