NHS Agenda for Change (AfC) · England · 2026/27
NHS Band 8a salary
£57,528 to £64,750 a year, 5 years from bottom to top. Up £1,838 on last year under England’s 3.3% award. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland set their own.
- Salary a year £57,528 – £64,750 3 steps · 5 years from bottom to top
- Hourly wage £29.42 – £33.11 Derived from a 37.5-hour week — not published
- Take-home at the entry step £40,230.94 England, in the pension scheme · work out yours
The pay points
| Step | 2026/27 | 2025/26 | Hourly | Time to next step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £57,528 | £55,690 | £29.42 | 2 years |
| Intermediate | £60,417 | £58,487 | £30.90 | 3 years |
| Top | £64,750 | £62,682 | £33.11 | — |
Hourly figures are derived — how, and why they are not published.
What work sits in band 8a
9 published profiles score into band 8a from the occupational therapy and radiography and physiotherapy and nursing and midwifery job families — these are the profiles a occupational therapist’s or radiographer’s or physiotherapist’s or nurse’s or midwife’s post is matched to. A post is banded by matching it to one of these, not by its job title, which is why two jobs with the same title can sit in different bands.
Occupational Therapist Principal
Job evaluation score 541–574
- Assesses and treats own specialist caseload of patients/clients in a variety of settings
- Acts as clinical lead for specialist service e.g. neuro-rehabilitation; palliative care
- Leads in the development of own specialist service; key contributor to development of new services
- Leads clinical audit, may undertake research
Radiographer Principal
Job evaluation score 541–556
- Leads and develops service in specialist area of work
- Provides specialist advice in own specialism
- Lead in clinical audit/clinical governance
- May manage staff, including recruitment, appraisal, CPD, performance
Physiotherapist Principal
Job evaluation score 542–578
- Assesses & treats own specialist caseload of patients/clients
- Acts as clinical physiotherapy lead for a specialist area of work e.g. ortho-arthritis, back problems, respiratory conditions; professional or managerial lead for a team of staff
- Lead in the development of own specialist service, for example, orthopaedic triage service; is key contributor to development of new specialist multidisciplinary services e.g. stroke rehabilitation Leads clinical audit undertakes research
Nursing: 8a
Job evaluation score 546–576
- Provide clinical and operational leadership for a defined service/department.
- Lead on ensuring consistent delivery of evidence based, safe and effective nursing care.
- Provide highly specialised advice to nursing teams, wider professional colleagues e.g. social care, therapies, to ensure high standards of direct care delivery.
- Take a key role in service review and/or development and implementation of policies, procedures and guidelines.
- May provide specialist education and training to own profession and/or multidisciplinary staff.
Nursing: 8a-c
Job evaluation score 549–650
Published as band 8a-c — one profile covering more than one band.
- Provides expert professional advice to patients, carers and colleagues
- Undertakes research in a specialist area
- Provides education and training to other staff, students
Midwifery 8a-b
Job evaluation score 550–605
Published as band 8a-b — one profile covering more than one band.
- Provide professional advice and specialist knowledge to clients, carers and colleagues
- May provide day to day management or education and training to other staff, students
- Performs clinical midwifery duties
- May undertake research in a specialist area
Occupational Therapist Consultant
Job evaluation score 562–614
Published as band 8a-b — one profile covering more than one band.
- Assesses and treats own complex caseload of patients/clients in a variety of settings
- Acts as clinical lead for specialist service e.g. neuro-rehabilitation; forensic mental health; intermediate care
- Responsible for clinical governance, policy, service development; provides expert advice on OT practice within the organisation and externally
- Undertakes research
Physiotherapy Consultant
Job evaluation score 563–629
Published as band 8(a)(b) — one profile covering more than one band.
- Assesses & treats own specialist caseload of patients/clients
- Acts as clinical physiotherapy lead for specialist service e.g. neuro- rehabilitation, MS, oncology, pain management
- Responsible for clinical governance; provides expert physiotherapy advice within the organisation and externally
- Undertakes research
Radiographer Consultant (Therapy)
Job evaluation score 577–641
Published as band 8a,b,c — one profile covering more than one band.
- Carries out an expert practitioner role within radiotherapy, provides a consultant service, including clinical leadership and strategic direction
- Proposes and implements changes within national cancer plan
- Responsible for R&D as a major job component
- Co-ordinates CPD and specialist training in department
Quoted from National profiles for occupational therapy — NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group national job profiles; National profiles for diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers — NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group national job profiles; National profiles for physiotherapy — NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group national job profiles; National profiles for nursing — NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group national job profiles; National profiles for midwifery — NHS Staff Council Job Evaluation Group national job profiles.
The same jobs at every band they reach, on one page each: midwifery pay, nursing pay, physiotherapy pay and radiography pay.
What changes between band 7 and band 8a
A occupational therapist’s post moves up when the job evaluation score does, not when enough time has passed. In the occupational therapy family the highest band 7 profile (Occupational Therapist Team Manager) tops out at 523, and the lowest here (Occupational Therapist Principal) starts at 541 — the band boundary sits in that gap. Crossing it means the work described at band 7 has changed.
A radiographer’s post moves up when the job evaluation score does, not when enough time has passed. In the radiography family the highest band 7 profile (Radiographer Advanced) tops out at 533, and the lowest here (Radiographer Principal) starts at 541 — the band boundary sits in that gap. Crossing it means the work described at band 7 has changed.
A physiotherapist’s post moves up when the job evaluation score does, not when enough time has passed. In the physiotherapy family the highest band 7 profile (Physiotherapist Advanced) tops out at 532, and the lowest here (Physiotherapist Principal) starts at 542 — the band boundary sits in that gap. Crossing it means the work described at band 7 has changed.
A nurse’s post moves up when the job evaluation score does, not when enough time has passed. In the nursing family the highest band 7 profile (Nursing: 7i) tops out at 538, and the lowest here (Nursing: 8a) starts at 546 — the band boundary sits in that gap. Crossing it means the work described at band 7 has changed.
A midwife’s post moves up when the job evaluation score does, not when enough time has passed. In the midwifery family the highest band 7 profile (Midwifery 7iii) tops out at 520, and the lowest here (Midwifery 8a-b) starts at 550 — the band boundary sits in that gap. Crossing it means the work described at band 7 has changed.
Nights, weekends and bank holidays
Bands 4 to 9 share one unsocial hours rate, so this is the same for band 8a as for any band above 3. All four nations’ rates, and the rules for which hours qualify. Work out the take-home on this band.
| When | Enhancement | Hourly at the entry step | At the top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, and weekdays 8pm–6am | +30% | £38.25 | £43.04 |
| Sundays and public holidays | +60% | £47.07 | £52.98 |
Which hours qualify, and the rules that decide it — including what is excluded and how the other nations differ.
If you work in or near London
A percentage of basic salary, but with a floor and a ceiling — so what band 8a actually gets is not simply the percentage.
| Zone | Rate | At the entry step | At the top |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20% | £8,746.00 (the maximum) | £8,746.00 (the maximum) |
| Outer London | 15% | £6,137.00 (the maximum) | £6,137.00 (the maximum) |
| Fringe London | 5% | £2,270.00 (the maximum) | £2,270.00 (the maximum) |
At band 8a the straight 20% would exceed the maximum, so inner London pay is capped at £8,746.00 — worth proportionally less here than lower down the scale.
What band 8a actually pays after deductions
The gross figure is not what reaches your bank. Run through income tax, National Insurance and the pension contribution for an England member in the scheme, each step of band 8a comes out at:
| Step | Gross | Hourly | Pension tier | Take-home | A month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £57,528 | £29.42 | 10.7% | £40,230.94 | £3,352.58 |
| Intermediate | £60,417 | £30.90 | 10.7% | £41,721.03 | £3,476.75 |
| Top | £64,750 | £33.11 | 10.7% | £43,956.01 | £3,663 |
England, in the pension scheme, standard tax code, no student loan and no salary sacrifice. Unsocial hours and overtime are paid on top of these figures and are not in them. An estimate from published rates, not a payslip and not financial advice — check it against your own before acting on it. Change any assumption, or pick another nation.
Band 8a in the other nations
The four nations set their own Agenda for Change rates, and this year they set four different ones. One of them has not made an award yet, so its figures are the previous year’s — the table says which.
| Nation | Entry | Top | Steps | Week | Hourly at entry |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| England | £57,528 | £64,750 | 3 | 37.5h | £29.42 |
| Scotland | £65,125 | £70,303 | 2 | 36h | £34.69 |
| Wales | £58,379 | £65,723 | 3 | 37.5h | £29.86 |
| Northern Ireland 2025/26 — no newer award | £55,690 | £62,682 | 3 | 37.5h | £28.48 |
Hourly rates are not comparable across the row without reading the week column: Scotland works 36 hours where the others work 37.5, so the same salary buys a higher hourly rate there.
If you work part time
What you keep does not scale with your hours. The pension tier is set by your actual pensionable pay too, so some part-time hours fall into a lower tier and pay a lower percentage as well as a smaller amount.
| Hours a week | Gross | Pension tier | Take-home | A month | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18.8a lower pension tier | £28,764 | 6.5% | £22,734.43 | £1,894.54 | 79% |
| 22.5a lower pension tier | £34,516.80 | 8.3% | £26,080.29 | £2,173.36 | 75.6% |
| 30a lower pension tier | £46,022.40 | 9.8% | £33,048 | £2,754 | 71.8% |
| 37.5 — full time | £57,528 | 10.7% | £40,230.94 | £3,352.58 | 69.9% |
Entry step, England, in the pension scheme. Enter your own hours.
The step before and after
Below this sits band 7. The next band up is band 8b, which most people reach by applying for a different post rather than by progression — the steps within a band are time-served, but moving between bands is not.
Other bands
Sources for the band 8a figures 2 documents · last checked Verified
- NHS Terms and Conditions 2025 (Agenda for Change) — pay bands and pay points from 1 April 2025, England NHS Employers ·2025-26 · Effective · checked · independently checked Verified
- NHS Terms and Conditions 2026 (Agenda for Change) — pay bands and pay points from 1 April 2026, England NHS Employers ·2026-27 · Effective · checked · independently checked Also relied on: NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook, version 21 — Section 2 (England), Table 2: unsocial hours payments Pay scales for 2026/27 — High Cost Area Supplement rates, NHS Employers Pay scales for 2026/27 — NHS Employers' HTML publication of the same pay table, used as the corroborating second document Verified