London weighting at a glance: HCAS adds 20.0% of basic pay in Inner London (£5,794–£8,746), 15.0% in Outer London (£4,870–£6,137) and 5.0% in the Fringe zone (£1,346–£2,270), each capped between a yearly minimum and maximum.

London Weighting Zones (HCAS)

The cost of living in and around London is significantly higher than the rest of England, particularly housing and transport. HCAS is a percentage top-up on basic salary designed to help the NHS recruit and retain staff in these areas. It is subject to minimum and maximum annual caps. Eligibility depends on where your employer is located, not where you live. Zones are defined using 2005 PCT geographical boundaries. PCTs were abolished in April 2013 under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, but their boundaries are still used for HCAS. The award is broken into three tiers. Check the table below for your numbers.

Find your HCAS zone
Search by employer name. If your employer isn’t listed, you’re outside the HCAS zones and receive basic AfC rates.
ZoneRateMinMax
Inner London20.0%£5,794£8,746
Outer London15.0%£4,870£6,137
Fringe5.0%£1,346£2,270

Rates and caps are from the 2026/27 AfC pay scales. If the percentage of basic salary falls below the minimum, the minimum is paid. If it exceeds the maximum, the maximum is paid.

How Your HCAS Is Worked Out

Your supplement is that zone’s percentage of your basic salary, but never less than a yearly minimum or more than a maximum. So below a floor salary you receive the fixed minimum, above a cap salary everyone receives the same fixed maximum, and in between you get the full percentage. Here is where each zone’s minimum and maximum bite:

ZoneBelow the floorFull rateAbove the cap
Inner London (20.0%)£5,794 under £28,970£28,970–£43,730£8,746 over £43,730
Outer London (15.0%)£4,870 under £32,467£32,467–£40,913£6,137 over £40,913
Fringe (5.0%)£1,346 under £26,920£26,920–£45,400£2,270 over £45,400

“Below the floor” shows the fixed minimum and the salary under which it applies; “above the cap” shows the fixed maximum and the salary over which everyone receives it.

Use the zone lookup above to find your zone, then open the pay and pension calculator to see it in your take-home pay.

See your pay and pension

Build a personalised scenario with your band, pay point, region, and pension options then see the monthly breakdown in the calculator.

Pay Bands

BandEntryTop

Gross annual salaries for each Agenda for Change band in England, entry to top of band. These are base rates before HCAS. Click a band to open it in our pay and pension calculator. Source: NHS Employers, AfC pay scales 2026/27.

How Pay Is Negotiated

In England, Agenda for Change pay is set following recommendations from the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB), an independent body that takes evidence from the government, NHS employers, and unions. The Secretary of State for Health decides whether to accept, modify, or reject the recommendation.

3.3%

Consolidated pay rise for NHS England AfC staff from 1 April 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

HCAS, or High Cost Area Supplement, aims to address the higher cost of living in and around London compared to the rest of England. It’s a percentage-based addition to basic salary across three zones: Inner London (20%), Outer London (15%) and the Fringe (5%). Each is subject to minimum and maximum caps set nationally each year. HCAS is unique to England. No other UK nation has an equivalent. It applies on top of the standard Agenda for Change pay bands.

HCAS eligibility is based on the former PCT (Primary Care Trust) area where your employer is located, not where you live. Use the zone lookup on this page to search by employer. If your employer isn’t listed, you’re outside the HCAS zones and receive basic AfC rates.

Yes. HCAS counts as pensionable pay, meaning it is included when calculating your pension contributions and your eventual pension benefits under the NHS Pension Scheme. A higher pensionable salary means larger contributions but also a larger pension at retirement. See our guide to how take-home pay is calculated for the full breakdown of deductions.

There are many unofficial NHS pay calculators available. Our pay and pension calculator supports HCAS: select an England region (Inner London, Outer London, or Fringe) to see your take-home pay with HCAS included. See our UK calculator comparison for how other tools handle HCAS.
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