NHS Pay Progression Calculator 2026/27

About this NHS pay progression calculator

If you work for the NHS under Agenda for Change (AfC), your salary does not stay the same year after year. As well as the annual cost-of-living pay award, most bands include automatic pay steps – fixed points where your salary jumps once you have served the required time and met the pay-step requirements. This calculator turns those rules into a clear, personal timeline. Enter your band, your current pay step and the date you started on that step, and it shows you exactly when your next increment is due, what you will earn at each future step, how long it takes to reach the top of your band, and roughly how much extra you will earn along the way.

It is built for NHS nurses, healthcare assistants, allied health professionals, paramedics, admin and clerical staff, scientists and managers in England who want to plan ahead – whether you are weighing up a band 5 to band 6 move, working out a mortgage application, or simply checking your next pay rise. All figures use the verified AfC 2026/27 pay scales for England, effective 1 April 2026.

How the calculator works

Under the post-2023 AfC pay structure, the number of pay steps in each band was reduced and the time to reach the top was shortened. The calculator applies these rules:

• Band 2 has a single pay point – there is no automatic step progression.
• Bands 3 and 4 have two points; you move to the top after 2 years (Band 3) or 3 years (Band 4).
• Band 5 has three points: 2 years at entry, then 2 years at the intermediate point, reaching the top after 4 years.
• Bands 6 to 9 have three points: 2 years at entry, then 3 years at the intermediate point, reaching the top after 5 years.

From the date you started your current step, the calculator counts forward the required years to each future step, looks up the verified salary at that point, and works out the cash increase. Tick “Reduce to part-time hours” to pro-rate every figure against the full-time standard of 37.5 hours per week. Pay-step dates assume you meet the standard pay-step requirements (satisfactory appraisal and any required learning); progression can be delayed if these are not met.

Worked example

Imagine a Band 6 nurse who started on the entry step (£39,959) on 1 April 2025, working full time.

• After 2 years, on 1 April 2027, they move to the intermediate step of £42,170 – an increase of £2,211.
• After a further 3 years, on 1 April 2030, they reach the top of Band 6 at £48,117 – a further increase of £5,947.
• That is a total of 5 years from entry to the top of the band, and an £8,158 higher base salary at the top than at entry – before any annual pay awards are added.

These step increases are in addition to the annual AfC pay award, so real-terms pay rises in the early years of a band are usually larger than the headline award alone.

Frequently asked questions

How often do NHS pay steps happen?

Under the current AfC structure, you move up a pay step after a set number of years at your current point – 2 years at entry for most bands, then 2 years (Band 5) or 3 years (Bands 6–9) at the intermediate point before reaching the top. Bands 3 and 4 reach the top after 2 and 3 years respectively. Band 2 has no steps. Progression is automatic provided you meet the pay-step requirements.

Is the annual NHS pay award included in these figures?

No. The calculator uses the fixed AfC 2026/27 pay points and projects your step progression only. The annual cost-of-living pay award (negotiated each year) is applied on top of your step and is not forecast here, because future awards are not yet known. Your actual future salary will usually be higher than the figures shown.

What are the pay-step requirements?

To move up a pay step you normally need to have completed the required time in your role, had a satisfactory appraisal, and met any agreed learning or development objectives. If these are not met, your employer can defer the step until they are. The calculator assumes the requirements are met on time.

Do these scales apply across the whole UK?

These are the Agenda for Change scales for England for 2026/27. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland negotiate their own AfC pay rates, which can differ. If you work outside England, check your nation's specific pay circular for exact figures.

Source: Pay points verified against the official NHS Employers AfC pay scales 2026/27 and NHS Health Careers pay rates. Figures are for guidance only.