HCAS: NHS London Weighting Rates 2026/27
HCAS (London weighting) adds 20.0% of basic pay in Inner London, 15.0% in Outer London and 5.0% in the Fringe, each capped; use the zone lookup to find yours.
Paid as the High Cost Area Supplement, it tops up Agenda for Change basic pay for staff whose employer sits in a London-area zone, set by former PCT boundaries rather than where you live, and is pensionable.
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.
| Zone | Rate | Min | Max |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | 20.0% | £5,794 | £8,746 |
| Outer London | 15.0% | £4,870 | £6,137 |
| Fringe | 5.0% | £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:
| Zone | Below the floor | Full rate | Above 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.
On an ESR payslip, HCAS is its own line under Pay and allowances, often named after your zone, such as Inner London. It isn’t part of the Sal/Wage figure at the top, which is the full-time salary for your grade. HCAS is pensionable, so your pension contributions are calculated on it as well.
Use the zone lookup above to find your zone, then open the take-home pay calculator to see it in your own numbers.
Pay Bands
England’s Agenda for Change pay bands, with the take-home pay at every point, are on the Agenda for Change page; HCAS is paid on top of them.
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
The 2027/28 pay round is under way: what we know about the 2027/28 pay rise.