NHS Pay Scales 2025/26 (predicted 3.5% pay rise and Band 2/3 pay update)

In spring or early summer 2025, a new NHS pay deal will be announced by the UK government. This page will be updated regularly in the build-up to that announcement as information becomes available which might help with predictions for the 2025/26 NHS pay deal for staff in England. This article also includes a full breakdown of how the predicted pay rise will affect each pay band on NHS Agenda for Change.

How much will the NHS pay rise for 2025/26 be?

Until the NHS Pay Review Body publish their annual report, an exact figure for the pay increase will not be available. However, using relevant information and government policy announcements available in January 2024, we are continuing to predict a pay rise of approximately 3.5%.

Currently, this is based on three key indicators, as well as discussions with senior NHS finance and HR professionals:

• Government recommendations: In December 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recommended a 2.8% pay rise for NHS staff. This recommendation is not the final pay award; the DHSC recommendation will be considered along with evidence from trade unions and other bodies by the independent NHS Pay Review Body, whose report is generally used to decide the final pay award for those on Agenda for Change contracts. However, it does mean that the minimum award is likely to be at least 2.8%.
  
  The NHS budget for 2025/26 (which was announced in October 2024) includes allowances for overall staffing costs to rise by 3-4%, although it is important to note that not all staff groups are part of the Agenda for Change framework and some groups of clinical staff could receive higher (or lower) pay awards compared to others.
• Some of the difference in the budget compared to DHSC’s recommendations could also be to account for changes in the National Minimum Wage; NHS staff on Band 2 are on the National Minimum Wage so if this rises by more than 2.8% next year, these staff would legally have to have a higher pay rise.
• Inflation and the economy: Many measures of inflation rose slightly towards the end of 2024, with the Consumer Price Index at 2.6% for December 2024. A below-inflation pay rise would be unpopular for the Government and almost certainly trigger strike action by the unions. However, a more generous pay rise (above 5%) is also unlikely due to the lack of economic growth of the UK economy.
• Trade unions and the threat of strikes. The final years of the Conservative government were plagued by strikes by NHS staff, causing disruption and delays to treatment. The Prime Minister has set a target for 92% of “routine” operations to be completed within 18 weeks by March 2029; further strikes would likely add to the already sizeable backlog of operations and make this target very difficult to achieve. While most unions and bodies such as the Royal College of Nursing have not gone public with specifics on the pay rise they would like for their members this year, their reaction to the DHSC-recommended 2.8% rise has been very negative – with some unions calling the suggestion “insulting”. This indicates to us that they would be likely to lobby the NHS Pay Review Body for a significantly higher pay rise – and perhaps regard a pay rise of below about 3% as enough to ballot their members for new strike action.

When will the NHS pay rise for 2025/26 be announced?

NHS pay rises are due in time for the start of the new financial year, in April. However, in recent years, the pay rise has consistently been announced late, meaning that pay rises have had to be backdated.

It is not expected that this year’s pay rise will be announced in time for the start of the new financial year. In September 2024, the Department of Health and Social Care sent a letter to the NHS Pay Review Body to begin their research into recommendations for this year’s pay rise. The letter stated that “it is unlikely that workforces will receive pay increases by April, but by bringing the pay round forward this year, we can more fully reset the timeline in 2026 to 2027”.

Last year, the same letter was not sent until November. With this in mind, we are hopeful that the pay rise for this year will be announced in mid-April or May 2025, and we will update this page as we hear more.

What is happening with NHS Band 2 and Band 3 pay rises and the National Living Wage increases?

In January 2025, it was announced that NHS Band 2 and Band 3 salaries would rise to reflect changes in the National Living Wage (sometimes called the national minimum wage). These changes would guarantee that staff at Band 2 would continue to receive at least the National Living Wage when this increases on April 1 2025. IThey also guarantee that staff on Band 3 would receive a higher salary than those on Band 2.

These increases are separate to the main pay agreement, and will come into force regardless of where national pay negotiations have progressed to by April.

These temporary increases are:

• A pay increase of 2.35% for all staff at Band 2, taking them to a salary of £24,169
• A pay increase of 2.3% for staff with fewer than two years of experience at Band 3, taking them to a salary of £24,625

As outlined in the rest of this article, we expect the final pay rise to be significantly higher than these increases.

Predicted Agenda for Change pay increases 2024/25

The below figures are based on a predicted pay rise of 3.5%, applied across all bands.

Band 1

Band 1 is no longer used for new Agenda for Change contracts. Any remaining staff on Band 1 contracts are paid as if they are on Band 2. Find out more about the history of Band 1 and the remaining NHS staff on this band.

Band 2

Staff in Band 2 (such as healthcare assistants, administrative assistants and catering staff) currently start on a salary of £23,614. This would increase to £24,441 following the predicted pay rise.

An advance notice of a minimum rise to this pay band has been issued to account for changes in the National Living Wage. This means that from April 1 2025, staff at this pay band will be paid at least £24,169.

There is currently no pay progression within Band 2.

Band 3

Staff in Band 3 (such as healthcare assistants) currently start on a salary of £24,072. This would increase to £24,914 following the pay rise.

After two years of experience at this band, most staff will receive a pay increase to £25,674. This would increase to £26,573.

An advance notice of a minimum rise to this pay band has been issued to account for changes in the National Living Wage. This means that from April 1 2025, staff with fewer than two years of experience at this pay band will be paid at least £24,625.

Band 4

Staff in Band 4 (such as office co-ordinators or communications assistants) currently start on a salary of £26,529. This would increase to £27,458 following the pay rise.

After three years of experience at this band, most staff will receive a pay increase to £29,114. This would increase to £30,133.

Band 5

Staff in Band 5 (such as newly qualified nurses) start on a salary of £29,970. This would increase to £31,019 following the pay rise.

After two years of experience at this band, most staff will receive a pay increase to £32,324. This would increase to £33,455.

Staff will receive a further pay rise after two more years of experience, to £36,483. This would increase to £37,760. This pay point represents the average salary for an NHS nurse, and is (by our estimation) probably the most common pay point in the NHS.

Band 6

Staff in Band 6 (such as occupational therapists or more senior or specialist nurses) start on a salary of £37,339. This would increase to £38,644 following the pay rise.

After two years of experience at this band, most staff will receive a pay increase to £39,404. Following the pay rise this would increase to £40,784.

Staff will receive a further pay rise after three more years of experience, to £44,961. This would increase to £46,535.

Band 7

Staff in Band 7 (such as clinical pharmacists, communications managers, or service managers) start on a salary of £46,148. Following the pay rise, this would increase to £47,763.

After two years of experience at this band, most staff will receive a pay increase to £48,526. This would increase to £50,224.

Staff will receive a further pay rise after three more years at this level, to £52,808. This would increase to £54,656.

Band 8a

Staff in Band 8a (such as HR business partners, advanced nurse practitioners, or senior physician associates) start on a salary of £50,952. This would increase to £53,754 after the pay rise.

Last year’s pay deal added a new intermediate step after 2 years. Pay for those with two years of experience will increase from £56,454 to £58,430.

After five total years of experience at this level, most staff will receive a pay increase to £60,504. This would increase to £62,622.

There is no automatic advancement from band 8a to 8b. Find out more about pay progression here.

It is expected that at some point within the next few years that changes to the Band 8a contract will be made to make it a more attractive proposition for promotion from Band 7 (particularly unsocial hours payments). However, it currently seems unlikely these changes will take place in time for the 2025/26 pay award.

Band 8b

Staff in Band 8b (such as heads of department, consultant pharmacists, or senior general managers) start on a salary of £62,215. This would increase to £64,393 following the pay rise.

Last year’s pay deal added a new intermediate step after 2 years. Pay for those with two years of experience will increase from £66,247 to £68,566.

After five total years, most staff will receive a pay increase to £72,299. This would increase to £74,829.

There is no automatic advancement from band 8b to 8c. Find out more about pay progression here.

Band 8c

Staff in Band 8c (such as associate directors, consultant clinical scientists or nurse consultants) start on a salary of £74,290. This would increase to £76,890 following the pay rise.

Last year’s pay deal added a new intermediate step after 2 years. Pay for those with two years of experience will increase from £78,814 to £81,572.

After five total years at this band, most staff will receive a pay increase to £85,601. This would increase to £88,597 after the pay rise.

There is no automatic advancement from band 8c to 8d. Find out more about pay progression here.

Band 8d

Staff in Band 8d (such as service directors, programme leads, or deputy directors) start on a salary of £88,167. This would increase to £91,253 following the pay rise.

Last year’s pay deal added a new intermediate step after 2 years. Pay for those with two years of experience will increase from £93,571 to £96,846.

After five years, most staff will receive a pay increase to £101,677. This would increase to £105,235 after the pay rise.

Band 9

Staff in Band 9 (such as clinical directors or programme directors) start on a salary of £105,480. This would increase to £109,172 following the pay rise.

Last year’s pay deal added a new intermediate step after 2 years. Pay for those with two years of experience will increase from £111,739 to £115,650.

After five total years, most staff will receive a pay increase to £121,270. This would increase to £125,515.

Some senior staff are on the Very Senior Manager payscale (effectively above Band 9). The pay deal for these managers is negotiated separately from the main Agenda for Change deal, and is usually the same or lower than other staff receive. We would expect a rise of 3% might be realistic for NHS VSMs for 2025/26.

Will HCAS change for 2025/26?

Changes to the High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS) or “London Weighting” have been called for by trade unions for some time. In particular, it has been suggested that areas outside of London with high costs of living should also benefit from pay uplifts.

Our understanding is that the application of HCAS is unlikely to change dramatically this year, although more significant changes may follow in the next few years. Instead, we expect HCAS to continue to apply only to London, and receive the same predicted 3.5% uplift as general salary levels. These are shown below: