NHS Northern Ireland Pay Bands 2026/27
Gross / yr
£25,272–£129,783
Take-home / yr
£20,401–£73,386
These are England’s 2026/27 rates, our best guess at Northern Ireland’s: a 3.3% rise is recommended and the Department of Health aims for parity with NHS England, but nothing has put it into payment yet.
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 2 | Year 1 | £25,272 | £20,401 |
| Band 2 | Year 3+ | £25,272 | £20,401 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 3 | Year 1 | £25,760 | £20,728 |
| Band 3 | Year 3+ | £27,476 | £21,874 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 4 | Year 1 | £28,392 | £22,486 |
| Band 4 | Year 4+ | £31,157 | £23,884 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 5 | Year 1 | £32,073 | £24,483 |
| Band 5 | Year 3 | £34,592 | £26,129 |
| Band 5 | Year 5+ | £39,043 | £28,570 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 6 | Year 1 | £39,959 | £29,157 |
| Band 6 | Year 3 | £42,170 | £30,576 |
| Band 6 | Year 6+ | £48,117 | £34,392 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 7 | Year 1 | £49,387 | £35,206 |
| Band 7 | Year 3 | £51,932 | £36,939 |
| Band 7 | Year 6+ | £56,515 | £39,708 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 8a | Year 1 | £57,528 | £40,231 |
| Band 8a | Year 3 | £60,417 | £41,720 |
| Band 8a | Year 6+ | £64,750 | £43,956 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 8b | Year 1 | £66,582 | £44,901 |
| Band 8b | Year 3 | £70,896 | £46,360 |
| Band 8b | Year 6+ | £77,368 | £49,628 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 8c | Year 1 | £79,504 | £50,707 |
| Band 8c | Year 3 | £84,346 | £53,152 |
| Band 8c | Year 6+ | £91,609 | £56,820 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 8d | Year 1 | £94,356 | £58,207 |
| Band 8d | Year 3 | £100,140 | £61,128 |
| Band 8d | Year 6+ | £108,814 | £65,508 |
| Role | Pay point | Gross salary | Net take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| Band 9 | Year 1 | £112,782 | £67,512 |
| Band 9 | Year 3 | £119,583 | £70,020 |
| Band 9 | Year 6+ | £129,783 | £73,386 |
The 2026/27 Pay Rise
3.3% recommended
NHSPRB pay rise recommendation for AfC staff from 1 April 2026
The NHS Pay Review Body recommended a 3.3% consolidated uplift for all AfC bands from 1 April 2026. England and Wales have confirmed and are paying the award.
Northern Ireland hasn’t put the award into payment. On 14 October the Department of Health said the Minister is clear it should be implemented, but gave no funding decision or payment date. The Royal College of Nursing has opened a ballot of its members on industrial action, closing on 20 November 2026. The Department’s 2026 circulars include no Agenda for Change pay circular.
How HSCNI Pay Works
Health and Social Care (HSC, often written HSCNI) staff in Northern Ireland are paid under the Agenda for Change framework. The standard 37.5-hour working week, annual leave entitlements and core AfC terms all apply. Your employer is one of the six HSC organisations rather than an NHS trust, but this doesn’t affect your pay band or terms.
Pay is set on the recommendation of the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB). The NI Health Minister decides whether to accept the recommendation, which has sometimes meant a delay of several months before the award is confirmed and paid.
Pay Supplements
There are no HCAS zones in Northern Ireland. Staff receive basic AfC rates without any area supplements. HCAS is an England-only provision for London and surrounding areas.
Unsocial hours and overtime
Northern Ireland follows the standard AfC handbook for unsocial hours and overtime. The 37.5-hour week applies, with hours above that treated as overtime.
On-call and sleep-in
On-call and sleeping-in allowance tables for 2026/27 haven’t been published for Northern Ireland.
Tax
Northern Ireland uses the same income tax rates as England and Wales. See our income tax guide for a full breakdown of bands and thresholds.
Pension
HSC staff in Northern Ireland belong to the HSC Pension Scheme, administered by the Business Services Organisation (BSO). It is a defined benefit scheme with the same contribution tiers and benefits as the wider UK NHS pension, using a NET pay arrangement (contributions come out before tax).