NHS Band 3 Pay (Wales)
Year 1: £26,300 gross in 2026/27 (band range £26,300–£27,476).
Band 3 is one of nine pay bands in the Agenda for Change framework, which covers over one million NHS staff in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Pay rates are set nationally by the NHS Pay Review Body.
What Band 3 covers
Experienced support roles such as emergency care assistants and occupational therapy support workers. Staff typically progress to Band 4 as they take on greater responsibility or specialise further.
Take-Home Breakdown
2025/26 vs 2026/27 gross salary, pension, tax, NI and take-home pay. Figures assume England and Wales tax rates, standard tax code 1257L, NHS Pension opted in and no student loans. Salaries include the Welsh Government’s Living Wage Foundation floor where applicable.
| 2025/26 | 2026/27 | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross | £24,937 | £26,300 | +£1,363 |
| Hourly rate | £12.79 | £13.49 | +£0.70 |
| Pension | £1,621 | £1,710 | +£89 |
| Taxable income | £23,316 | £24,590 | +£1,274 |
| Income tax | £2,149 | £2,404 | +£255 |
| National Insurance | £989 | £1,098 | +£109 |
| Take-home | £20,177 | £21,088 | +£910 |
| Effective tax rate | 19.1% | 19.8% | +0.7% |
Get a customised take-home figure — adjust your tax code, pension opt-out, student loans and more.
Pay Progression
Band 3 has 2 pay points. You move up one point each year on your incremental date, the anniversary of starting in the band. Two points are designated as pay gateways under the Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF): a foundation gateway early in the band and a second gateway later on. Both confirm you are meeting the requirements of your post. The normal expectation is that you progress through them.
Withholding progression at a gateway is genuinely exceptional. It requires a formal performance process, concerns raised well in advance and typically three months' written notice. If your annual appraisal went smoothly and no formal process is running, the increment is effectively automatic.
Once you reach the top of the band, your pay only changes when the national pay award is applied each April. Moving beyond Band 3 means applying for a role evaluated at a higher level.
Pension and Deductions
Band 3 staff contribute 6.5% of salary to the NHS Pension Scheme. The pension is deducted before income tax under a NET pay arrangement, which means you get full tax relief automatically. National Insurance is calculated on your full gross salary before the pension deduction.
Notes
- Pay rates from NHS Health Careers. Tax and NI use HMRC 2025/26 and 2026/27 England and Wales tax rates.
- Pension contribution tiers from the NHSBSA pension scheme (2025/26 and 2026/27 tiers).
- Wales applies a Living Wage Foundation floor of £26,300 per annum from April 2026, lifting the lowest spine points in Bands 2 and 3. Source: Welsh Government pay letter.
- Staff in London and surrounding areas may receive a High Cost Area Supplement of 5–20% on top of base pay.
- Scotland has different income tax bands. Scottish take-home will differ.
- Student loan repayments are not included. Use the calculator for a personalised breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
Related
- Band 2 Pay — Healthcare assistants, housekeeping, security, £25,272
- Band 4 Pay — Assistant practitioners, pharmacy technicians, £28,392–£31,157
- NHS Pension Scheme — contribution tiers, NET pay, and how pension affects take-home
- NHS Wales Pay — living wage supplement and how it affects lower bands
- NHS Take-Home Pay Calculator — personalised breakdown with student loans, salary sacrifice and Scotland
- How UK Take-Home Pay Is Calculated — the PAYE deduction pipeline step by step
- Official NHS AfC Pay Rates — healthcareers.nhs.uk
- All Resources