NHS Band 6 Salary 2025 | Take-Home Pay Calculator
Calculate your take-home pay as an NHS Band 6 specialist nurse, ward sister, or senior allied health professional. See exactly how income tax, National Insurance at 8%, and NHS pension contributions at 6.5% to 7.7% reduce your £37,338 to £44,962 gross salary in 2024/25.
Band 6 Take-Home Pay Calculator
NHS Band 6 Salary 2024/25: Specialist Nurses and Senior Allied Health Professionals
NHS Agenda for Change Band 6 represents the first level of specialist and supervisory clinical practice within the NHS pay framework. The 2024/25 salary range of £37,338 to £44,962 applies to a broad range of experienced clinical staff who have progressed beyond the registered practitioner grade and now carry additional responsibilities for clinical specialisation, team supervision, or caseload management.
Band 6 is often the level at which clinical professionals reach their first significant career milestone beyond newly registered status. It typically requires a track record of clinical competence, some supervisory experience, and often — though not always — a postgraduate qualification or specialist training programme. For many NHS nurses and allied health professionals, Band 6 represents the grade at which they spend the longest portion of their career before either progressing to Band 7 or choosing to consolidate within their specialist area.
Band 6 Pay Points and Take-Home Examples 2024/25
| Pay Point | Gross Annual | NHS Pension Rate | Monthly Take-Home | Annual Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | £37,338 | 6.5% | ~£2,367 | ~£28,404 |
| Lower-mid | £39,432 | 6.5% | ~£2,484 | ~£29,808 |
| Mid-range | £41,659 | 6.5% | ~£2,607 | ~£31,284 |
| Upper-mid | £43,742 | 6.5% | ~£2,719 | ~£32,628 |
| Maximum | £44,962 | 6.5% | ~£2,786 | ~£33,432 |
NHS Pension Contributions at Band 6
At Band 6 salaries, the NHS pension employee contribution rate is 6.5% for salaries between £33,890 and £45,372. This compares to 5.2% at Band 5, meaning the step up to Band 6 brings a slightly higher pension cost, though the employer still contributes 23.7%. The 6.5% contribution on a starting Band 6 salary of £37,338 amounts to £2,427 per year, or £202 per month — but after basic rate tax relief this costs approximately £162 per month net.
At the very top of Band 6 (£44,962), pension contributions remain at 6.5%, costing £2,923 per year. If an employee's pay moves above £45,372 — possible with a London supplement — the rate increases to 7.7%.
London Weighting at Band 6
| Location | Supplement | Minimum + Supplement | Maximum + Supplement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | £5,132 | £42,470 | £50,094 |
| Outer London | £3,839 | £41,177 | £48,801 |
| Fringe area | £1,136 | £38,474 | £46,098 |
A Band 6 nurse at the top of the band with inner London weighting earns £50,094 gross, which is slightly above the £50,270 higher rate threshold. Virtually all of their income remains in the basic rate band, and the fraction above £50,270 is negligible.
Typical Band 6 Roles in the NHS
The diversity of roles at Band 6 reflects the breadth of clinical specialisation within the NHS. The most common Band 6 posts include:
- Specialist Nurse: Diabetes specialist nurse, tissue viability nurse, infection prevention and control nurse, palliative care nurse specialist, continence nurse advisor, dementia care nurse
- Ward Sister / Charge Nurse: Responsible for the day-to-day management of a ward or clinical area, including staff supervision, patient safety oversight, and coordination of multidisciplinary care
- Community Nurse with Caseload: District nurses and community specialist nurses managing their own patient caseloads independently
- Senior Occupational Therapist: Working in specialised areas such as neurological rehabilitation, trauma and orthopaedics, or community enablement
- Senior Physiotherapist: Specialist physiotherapy in areas such as musculoskeletal, respiratory, or neurorehabilitation
- Senior Speech and Language Therapist: Working with specialist populations in dysphagia, aphasia, or paediatric communication disorders
- Senior Radiographer: Specialist imaging roles including MRI, CT, or nuclear medicine with reporting responsibilities in some trusts
Unsocial Hours Pay at Band 6
Band 6 nurses and allied health professionals working shift patterns remain entitled to AfC unsocial hours enhancements: 37% enhancement for weekday nights (8pm to 6am), 30% for all Saturday hours, and 60% for all Sunday and bank holiday hours. The enhancement is applied to the basic hourly rate only.
For a Band 6 nurse at the starting salary of £37,338, the basic hourly rate is approximately £19.15 (37.5 hours per week). A night shift enhancement of 37% adds £7.09 per hour. A full 10-hour night shift generates £70.87 in unsocial hours enhancement pay. Band 6 nurses working a standard rotation with nights and weekends can realistically earn an additional £4,000 to £7,000 per year in enhancements before tax.
Annual Pay Progression Through Band 6
The Band 6 salary range of £37,338 to £44,962 represents a span of approximately £7,624 over roughly seven incremental steps. Under most NHS AfC frameworks, increments are awarded annually on the anniversary of appointment (or on a fixed date each year, depending on employer policy). This means a nurse starting at Band 6 minimum in 2024 would typically reach the Band 6 maximum by around 2031 under a standard progression timeline.
Some NHS trusts and Integrated Care Boards have modified their incremental policies, and progression can be slower or linked to competency assessments in certain settings. It is worth confirming the incremental policy with your employing trust's HR department when taking up a Band 6 post.
Comparison: Band 6 Take-Home vs Band 5
| Grade | Salary (Minimum) | Approx. Monthly Take-Home | Salary (Maximum) | Approx. Monthly Take-Home |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | £29,970 | ~£1,973 | £36,483 | ~£2,309 |
| Band 6 | £37,338 | ~£2,367 | £44,962 | ~£2,786 |
| Difference | +£7,368/yr | +~£394/mo | +£8,479/yr | +~£477/mo |
Moving from the top of Band 5 (£36,483) to the bottom of Band 6 (£37,338) increases gross pay by £855 per year — a relatively modest uplift that grows substantially as the nurse progresses through the Band 6 scale. The real financial benefit of Band 6 status is typically realised as the nurse progresses up the band over several years.
Career Progression: Band 6 to Band 7
Progression from Band 6 to Band 7 typically requires either taking on significantly expanded clinical responsibilities (such as an advanced practitioner qualification, independent prescribing, or leadership of a specialist service) or moving into a management role. The Band 7 minimum salary in 2024/25 is £46,148, representing a substantial uplift from the Band 6 maximum of £44,962.
At Band 7, income tax exposure to the higher rate band of 40% begins for some post-holders, particularly those with London weighting. See our NHS Band 7 salary guide for full details of the tax implications and take-home pay calculations at Band 7.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the NHS Band 6 salary range for 2024/25?
The NHS Agenda for Change Band 6 salary range for 2024/25 in England is £37,338 at the minimum rising to £44,962 at the top of the band. Band 6 covers specialist nurses, ward sisters, senior occupational therapists, senior physiotherapists, team leaders, and community nurses with their own caseloads. Pay progresses incrementally over approximately seven years.
How much does a Band 6 nurse take home per month?
A Band 6 nurse at the starting salary of £37,338 takes home approximately £2,367 per month after income tax at 20%, National Insurance at 8%, and the 6.5% NHS pension contribution. At the top of the band at £44,962, monthly take-home is approximately £2,786. Unsocial hours enhancements can add a further 15 to 25 per cent to gross pay for those working shifts.
What NHS pension rate do Band 6 nurses pay?
Band 6 nurses pay an NHS pension employee contribution of 6.5% for salaries between £33,890 and £45,372. At Band 6 minimum (£37,338), this costs approximately £2,427 per year. After basic rate tax relief at 20%, the net cost is approximately £1,942 per year or £162 per month. The employer contribution is 23.7%, representing substantial additional pension value.
What roles are typically at NHS Band 6?
NHS Band 6 roles include specialist nurses (diabetes, infection control, tissue viability, palliative care), ward sisters and charge nurses, community nurses with caseloads, senior occupational therapists, senior physiotherapists, senior speech and language therapists, senior radiographers, and team leaders across nursing and allied health professions. Some healthcare scientist and pharmacy roles also sit at Band 6.
How does Band 6 London weighting affect take-home pay?
Band 6 nurses in inner London receive the High Cost Area Supplement of £5,132 per year, taking the minimum salary to £42,470. The outer London supplement is £3,839 (minimum £41,177) and the fringe supplement is £1,136 (minimum £38,474). A Band 6 nurse at the top of band in inner London earns £50,094 gross. These supplements are pensionable and subject to income tax and NI.
What is the annual pay progression for Band 6 nurses?
The Band 6 pay range of £37,338 to £44,962 spans approximately seven incremental steps, with annual progression under standard AfC frameworks. A nurse starting at Band 6 minimum typically reaches the Band 6 maximum in around seven years. Some trusts link increments to competency assessments or have modified their incremental policies. Confirm the specific policy with your employing trust's HR team.
What are the career progression options from Band 6?
From Band 6, NHS professionals can progress to Band 7 roles including advanced practitioners, team managers, modern matrons, and highly specialist clinicians. Common routes include completing an advanced practice master's degree, becoming an independent prescriber, taking on a leadership position, or achieving a clinical nurse specialist role at advanced level. The Band 7 minimum in 2024/25 is £46,148.