Returning to nursing

If your NMC registration has lapsed, you get back on the register by completing an NMC-approved return to practice course or by passing the NMC’s test of competence. Which applies depends on how long you have been away and how much practice you have done recently. Once you are readmitted, you go back into nursing on the normal pay scales, usually at band 5 in the NHS.

Lapsed, not removed

Your registration lapses if you do not pay the annual fee or do not revalidate on time. Many nurses let it lapse during a career break, caring responsibilities, a move abroad or a job outside nursing. While it is lapsed you must not work as a registered nurse or use the title “nurse”.

To come back, you apply to the NMC for readmission. The NMC checks whether you meet its practice hours requirement: whether you have done enough practice as a nurse in a recent period to show you are still safe and up to date. If you have, readmission is mostly paperwork: a health and character declaration, a reference, evidence of practice and the fee. If you have not, you need one of the two routes below. The NMC’s own readmission pages set out the current hours and periods.

Route one: a return to practice course

Universities run return to practice courses, and the NMC approves them. They combine taught study (often part-time or online) with supervised clinical placement hours. The length and placement time depend on how long you have been out of practice and on the course provider. On completion you are signed off as meeting the NMC standards and can apply for readmission.

In England, the NHS has funded return to practice for some years. Course fees are usually paid and a contribution is available toward childcare, travel and books. Funding arrangements change, so check the current offer on Health Careers and with the university before you enrol. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own schemes through their health departments and education bodies.

Courses fill up, and they need a placement. Some universities arrange the placement for you, while others need you to find a supporting trust first. Contacting a local trust’s education or recruitment team early often speeds things up.

Route two: the test of competence

The NMC’s test of competence is the same two-part test used for nurses trained overseas: a computer-based multiple choice test, then a practical objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) at an approved test centre. Passing both shows you meet current standards without completing a course.

The test route suits returners who have kept up their knowledge, perhaps through related work, and want to come back faster. It suits people who have been away a long time less well, because the OSCE tests current practice and procedures in detail. Many trusts that recruit returners run OSCE preparation, and some will employ you as a support worker while you prepare. The NMC sets the test fees; check the current amounts on its site.

Working while you return

Many returners take a support worker or healthcare assistant job during the process. It gets you back into a clinical environment, gives you a reference, and some trusts link it directly to their return to practice support. NHS healthcare support worker posts are usually band 2 or band 3. From 1 April 2026 in England, band 2 is £25,272 and band 3 runs from £25,760 to £27,476.

On a course you are a student on placement and not employed as a nurse, unless the trust has employed you in another role. Make sure you know who your supervisor and assessor are on placement and how the course records your hours.

Pay when you come back

After readmission you apply for nursing posts like any other registered nurse. In the NHS that usually means band 5. In England from 1 April 2026, band 5 runs from £32,073 at entry to £39,043 at the top, with an intermediate point of £34,592. London and the fringe add a high cost area supplement.

Previous NHS service and relevant experience can count toward your starting point and your annual leave entitlement. AfC annual leave is 27 days on appointment, 29 after five years and 33 after ten years of NHS service, plus 8 public holidays, and earlier NHS service can count if you can show it. Ask the employer’s HR how they will treat yours before you accept. The band 5 guide covers progression through the band, and the take-home pay calculator shows what a band 5 salary leaves after deductions.

Once you are back on the register

Readmission starts a new revalidation cycle. Keep a record of practice hours, CPD, feedback and reflections, and revalidate on time to avoid lapsing again. The NMC revalidation guide explains the requirements.

If your break was long, ask about a preceptorship or a supported return period when you start a new post. Many trusts offer one to returners as well as to newly qualified nurses. The returning after a career break guide covers the wider practicalities, such as flexible working requests and pension.