NHS band 5 pay and jobs

Most newly qualified nurses, midwives and allied health professionals start at band 5. In England it pays £32,073 a year from 1 April 2026, moving to £34,592 after two years and to £39,043 after two more. That is a rise of nearly £7,000 over four years at the same band, if each step goes through on time.

Band 5 pay steps

Step	England 2026/27	Inner London	Outer London	Fringe	Scotland 2026/27
Entry	£32,073	£38,488	£36,943	£33,677	£34,494
After 2 years	£34,592	£41,510	£39,781	£36,322	£36,857
After 4 years	£39,043	£46,852	£44,899	£40,995	£42,977

NHS Employers publishes the London figures for the entry point, and they include the High Cost Area Supplement. The figures for the higher steps are worked out by applying the same percentages (20% inner, 15% outer, 5% fringe) within each zone’s minimum and maximum, rounded to the nearest pound. The supplement guide sets out the rules.

England’s figures include the 3.3% consolidated award from 1 April 2026, paid in April salaries. Scotland has its own deal with higher values and a 3.75% rise for 2026/27. Wales has announced 3.3% according to the RCN, and Northern Ireland’s award had not been confirmed as of mid-October 2026.

Who is paid at band 5

Band 5 is the first band for registered professionals in most disciplines. Roles at band 5 include:

• staff nurses in adult, children’s, mental health and learning disability nursing
• newly qualified midwives
• physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, podiatrists and speech and language therapists in their first posts
• diagnostic and therapeutic radiographers
• operating department practitioners
• biomedical scientists and pharmacy technicians at some employers
• some managers of small admin teams and project officers

Most newly qualified clinicians get a preceptorship period: structured support, supervision and protected learning in the first year. Pay stays the same, but ask about it at interview because the quality varies a lot between trusts.

How the steps work in practice

Agenda for Change fixes the two-year gaps. Each step is subject to the pay progression standards your employer applies, which normally means an appraisal in the last year, completed mandatory training and no live formal capability or disciplinary process. The pay progression guide explains what happens if a step is held back.

If you move from one NHS employer to another in the same band, you normally keep your step and your progression date. Staff joining from outside the NHS usually start at entry, although some trusts count relevant experience. The nurse pay guide compares nursing pay across the UK.

Deductions on a band 5 salary

Band 5 crosses several thresholds. At the entry and middle steps you pay 8.3% into the NHS Pension Scheme (pay from £28,855 to £35,155). At the top step you move into the 9.8% tier, which starts at £35,156. Many band 5 staff have a Plan 2 student loan, which takes 9% of pay above £29,385, so even the entry step means a monthly repayment.

Income tax and National Insurance apply above £12,570, at 20% and 8% respectively up to £50,270. The band 5 take-home guide works through the monthly figures, and the take-home pay calculator lets you add your own hours and loan plan.

Shift work adds to basic pay. Nights, weekends and bank holidays are paid with unsocial hours enhancements, and overtime or bank shifts come on top.

Leave and sick pay in your first years

A full-time band 5 starter gets 27 days’ annual leave plus 8 public holidays. That rises to 29 days after five years and 33 after ten years of NHS service, and NHS service with other employers counts towards those thresholds. Part-time staff get the same entitlement pro rata.

Sick pay is lower in the first year. You get one month on full pay and, once you have four months’ service, two months on half pay. In the second year it is two months full and two months half, and it keeps rising until it reaches six months full and six months half after five years. If you join from another NHS employer, your earlier service normally counts.

Band 5 and overseas recruitment

Healthcare and education jobs on national pay scales qualify for a Skilled Worker visa at £25,000 or the national pay scale rate, whichever is higher. The general £41,700 threshold does not apply to these roles. Every band 5 point is above £25,000, so a sponsor usually has to show the job is on the eligible list and paid at the correct band rate. The Health and Care Worker visa guide has the details, and immigration questions should go to the Home Office or an OISC-registered adviser.

Moving to band 6

Band 6 starts at £39,959, just above the band 5 top point. Many nurses and therapists apply for band 6 posts after a few years, often as senior staff nurses or specialist practitioners. Some trusts run development posts that start at band 5 and move to band 6 once agreed competencies are signed off. The band 6 guide covers those roles. Current band 5 vacancies are listed on the nursing and midwifery and allied health boards.