NHS Hourly Rate Calculator

Use the NHS Hourly Rate Calculator to check your basic hourly rate and estimated weekly, monthly and annual pay. The calculator uses England Agenda for Change rates effective from 1 April 2026.

What Is an NHS Hourly Rate?

Your NHS hourly rate is the amount of basic pay attached to one contracted working hour. It is calculated from the annual salary for your Agenda for Change band and pay step.

The hourly rate does not include overtime, unsocial-hours enhancements, London HCAS or other additional payments.

This page covers England only. NHS Scotland, NHS Wales and Health and Social Care Northern Ireland can use different salaries and employment arrangements.

What Information Do You Need?

Before using the calculator, find:

• Your Agenda for Change pay band
• Your current contractual pay step
• Your basic contracted hours per week

Your band and annual basic salary should appear on your contract or payslip. Your employer’s pay progression records can help you identify your current step.

If you need to compare the salary points across Band 1 to Band 9, check the NHS Pay Bands Overview.

Do not select a higher pay step based only on the number of years you have worked for the NHS. Progression can depend on your contractual pay-step date, eligibility and employer confirmation.

How to Use the Calculator

First, select your Agenda for Change band. The calculator includes:

• Band 1, which is closed to new entrants
• Bands 2 to 7
• Bands 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d
• Band 9

The pay-step field will then show the options available for the selected band.

Next, enter your normal basic contracted hours per week. Enter 37.5 if you work full time. Do not add overtime or extra bank shifts to this field.

Select Calculate to see:

• Official basic hourly rate
• Selected band and pay step
• Contracted hours and FTE percentage
• Estimated weekly basic pay
• Estimated monthly basic pay
• Estimated annual basic pay

Select Reset to remove the entries and begin again.

How Is the NHS Hourly Rate Calculated?

A full-time Agenda for Change working week is normally 37.5 hours.

The calculator first converts one year into its average number of weeks:

Average weeks per year = 365 ÷ 7

Average weeks per year = 52.142857

The basic hourly-rate formula is:

Hourly rate = Annual basic salary ÷ 52.142857 ÷ 37.5

Using exactly 52 weeks would cover only 364 days. This is why dividing the annual salary by 52 may produce a slightly higher result than the calculator.

The displayed hourly rate is rounded to the nearest penny.

Step-by-Step Hourly Pay Example

Suppose an employee selects:

• Band 4
• Entry pay step
• 37.5 contracted hours
• Annual basic salary of £28,392

Step 1: Calculate average weekly pay

£28,392 ÷ 52.142857

Estimated weekly basic pay = £544.50

Step 2: Calculate hourly pay

£544.50 ÷ 37.5

Basic hourly rate = £14.52

Step 3: Calculate monthly basic pay

£28,392 ÷ 12

Estimated monthly basic pay = £2,366

Because the employee works 37.5 hours per week, the calculator shows the work pattern as 100% FTE.

These are gross basic-pay figures. Income Tax, National Insurance, pension and other deductions have not been removed.

How Is Part-Time NHS Pay Calculated?

Part-time employees receive a pro-rata share of the full-time annual salary. The basic hourly rate normally remains the same for employees on the same band and pay step.

The calculator converts weekly hours into an FTE percentage:

FTE percentage = Contracted weekly hours ÷ 37.5 × 100

For an employee working 30 hours:

30 ÷ 37.5 × 100 = 80% FTE

If the full-time annual salary is £40,000:

Part-time annual pay = £40,000 × 80%

Part-time annual pay = £32,000

The calculator then divides £32,000 into estimated weekly and monthly amounts.

For more detail about reduced working patterns and pro-rata salaries, use the NHS Part-Time Salary Calculator.

What Does the Result Mean?

The hourly figure represents basic pay for the selected band and step. The weekly, monthly and annual results are based on the contracted hours entered.

The monthly result is calculated by dividing estimated annual basic pay by 12. It is not a take-home-pay result.

Your payslip may contain additional earnings such as:

• Overtime
• Unsocial-hours enhancements
• On-call payments
• London HCAS
• Recruitment and retention premiums
• Arrears or back pay

It may also contain deductions for Income Tax, National Insurance, NHS pension, student loans, salary sacrifice and other items.

If you need a broader estimate using your NHS employment information, the NHS Wage Calculator may be more suitable.

Why Might My Calculation Look Different?

A manual hourly calculation can differ if you use exactly 52 weeks instead of 365 ÷ 7.

You may also have selected the wrong pay step or compared a basic hourly rate with a payslip rate that includes overtime, HCAS or enhancements.

Check the following:

1. Is the selected band correct?
2. Does the pay step match your payroll record?
3. Did you enter only basic contracted hours?
4. Are you comparing the same pay year?
5. Does the payslip amount include additional payments?

Contact payroll or HR if the salary recorded for your post appears incorrect.

What the Calculator Does Not Decide

The calculator cannot determine:

• Which band your job should have
• Whether you qualify for pay progression
• Whether overtime or enhancements apply
• Your exact take-home pay
• Your entitlement to London HCAS
• How a local payroll team will process an adjustment

It should be used as a practical estimate rather than an official employment or payroll decision.

You can find other tools for checking NHS pay and deductions on the NHS Salary Calculators homepage.

FAQs

Q1: What is the normal NHS working week?
A: The calculator treats 37.5 contracted hours per week as full time for the included Agenda for Change calculations.

Q2: Why does the calculation use 52.142857 weeks?
A: It represents 365 days divided by seven. Exactly 52 weeks would account for only 364 days.

Q3: Can part-time NHS employees use the calculator?
A: Yes. Enter your contracted weekly hours, up to 37.5, to receive pro-rata weekly, monthly and annual basic-pay estimates.

Q4: Does working part time reduce the hourly rate?
A: The underlying basic hourly rate remains linked to the selected band and pay step. Part-time hours reduce weekly, monthly and annual pay.

Q5: Does the calculator include overtime?
A: No. Enter basic contracted hours only. Overtime and enhancements are excluded.

Q6: Is the monthly result take-home pay?
A: No. It is estimated gross basic pay before Income Tax, National Insurance, pension and other deductions.

Q7: Does this calculator cover every UK NHS nation?
A: No. It uses England Agenda for Change salaries effective from 1 April 2026.

Q8: Where can I verify the hourly rates?
A: Check the NHS Employers 2026/27 pay scales for the official England Agenda for Change annual and hourly figures.