Last updated 20 May 2026
NHS Scotland Pay Bands 2026/27
The short version:
- 3.75% pay rise from 1 April 2026, paid in April payslips
- 36-hour standard week from 1 April 2026 (down from 37.5 hours)
- Separate pay scale negotiated via STAC, not the NHS PRB
- No HCAS zones — single national pay scale
| Band | Entry | Top |
|---|---|---|
| Band 1 | £26,557 | £26,557 |
| £26,696 | £28,988 | |
| £29,103 | £31,409 | |
| £31,537 | £34,303 | |
| £34,544 | £43,039 | |
| £43,231 | £52,679 | |
| £52,845 | £61,466 | |
| £65,125 | £70,303 | |
| £76,888 | £82,251 | |
| £90,808 | £97,338 | |
| £107,810 | £112,426 | |
| £127,521 | £133,044 |
Gross annual salaries for each Agenda for Change band in Scotland, entry to top of band. Click a band to open it in our pay and pension calculator (Band 1 not yet supported). Source: Scottish Government — NHS staff pay.
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Build a personalised scenario with your band, pay point, region, and pension options then see the monthly breakdown in the calculator.
How Scotland’s Pay Scale Works
If you work for NHS Scotland under Agenda for Change terms, your pay comes from a separate scale to the rest of the UK. Scotland operates its own AfC pay spine with its own values and point counts. Band 1 remains active, and Band 2 has two progression points. Pay is negotiated directly with unions through the Scottish Terms and Conditions Committee (STAC), with the Scottish Government as the employer-side negotiator.
The 2026/27 Pay Rise
3.75%
Consolidated pay rise for NHS Scotland AfC staff from 1 April 2026
Each year the Scottish Government negotiates a pay uplift for all AfC staff. Here’s what was agreed for the current year.
The Scottish Government agreed a 3.75% uplift for all bands via STAC, confirmed in January 2026 through pay circular PCS(AFC)2026/1. The uplift is consolidated into basic salary, meaning it counts towards pension and overtime calculations. It replaces the 2025/26 award of 4.25%.
Pay Supplements
There are no HCAS zones in Scotland — staff receive basic AfC Scotland rates without regional supplements. Some roles may qualify for Recruitment and Retention Premia (up to 30% of basic pay) on a case-by-case basis.
Unsocial hours and overtime
Scotland follows the same core AfC structure for unsocial hours but sets its own rates via PCS circulars. With the standard week at 36 hours from April 2026, hours above that are treated as overtime at Scottish rates.
On-call and sleep-in
On-call and sleeping-in allowances are expected to increase by 3.75% from 1 April 2026 under the 2025–27 pay deal. Official allowance figures have not been published in public tables yet.
Income Tax
Scotland sets its own income tax rates with six bands. Your tax code will have an “S” prefix (e.g. S1257L). How much tax you pay depends on which AfC band you’re on.
Bands 2–4
Most of your salary falls in the starter (19%), basic (20%) and intermediate (21%) bands — relatively modest rates.
Bands 5–6
Band 5 sits in the intermediate band, but the top of Band 5 (£43,039) is only around £623 below the 42% higher-rate threshold, so overtime or a pay-point increase could tip you over. Band 6 is where tax starts to bite: the entry salary (£43,231) is just below the threshold (£43,662), so most of the band is taxed at 42%.
Bands 7 and above
Bands 7 and 8a sit fully in the higher rate (42%). Band 8b and above move into the 45% advanced rate. If you’re on Band 8d or above, the personal allowance is gradually withdrawn above £100,000, meaning every extra £1 you earn costs you roughly 63p in tax. Band 9 loses the personal allowance entirely.
Salary sacrifice
If you’re near a threshold, additional pension contributions through salary sacrifice can reduce your taxable income below the higher or advanced rate, deferring tax on that portion of your salary. Our pay and pension calculator applies Scottish rates automatically, so you can see exactly how this affects your take-home pay.
Pension
Scottish NHS staff belong to the same NHS Pension Scheme as the rest of the UK, but administration is handled by the Scottish Public Pensions Agency (SPPA).
Contribution rates and scheme rules are the same across the UK. The pension is a defined benefit scheme using salary sacrifice (NET pay arrangement), meaning contributions come out before tax is calculated.