How to read the salary on a public sector job advert

The salary line on a public sector advert is almost always the full-time range for the grade, which is a different thing from what you personally will be paid. New starters usually begin at the bottom of the range, and a part-time or term-time only post is reduced in proportion. Take “Band 5, £32,073 to £39,043 a year pro rata” for a 30-hour NHS job: you would most likely start on 30/37.5 of £32,073, which is £25,658.40.

The phrases you will see

Wording	What it means
Per annum (pa)	A yearly figure, before tax and other deductions
Pro rata	The figure is full-time; you get a share matching your hours or weeks
FTE	Full-time equivalent; same idea as pro rata
Actual salary	What you will be paid for the hours and weeks of this post
SCP 7 to 11	Spinal column points on the NJC pay spine; look up each value
Band 6	NHS Agenda for Change band; the range is set nationally in England
MPS / UPS	Teachers’ main pay range and upper pay range
Inc. HCAS	Includes the NHS High Cost Area Supplement for London
Plus RRP or market supplement	An extra payment on top of the grade
Subject to pay award	The figures may rise once a pay award is agreed

Ranges and where you start

A range shows the bottom and top points of the grade. In the NHS, band 5 has an entry point of £32,073, an intermediate point of £34,592 and a top point of £39,043 from 1 April 2026, and you move up after set periods if you meet the progression standards. A council grade on the NJC spine usually spans four or five points, with one step a year. Teachers in England move up the main pay range according to the school’s pay policy.

Most employers appoint at the bottom of the range. Some will start you higher for relevant experience at the same level, and NHS employers have to recognise previous NHS service at the same band. Ask before you accept. The guide to negotiating starting salary covers what is realistic.

Part-time and term-time only

When an advert says “pro rata” or shows “FTE”, work out your actual salary before comparing jobs. Divide your hours by the employer’s full-time week (37.5 hours in the NHS, 37 for council and NJC school posts) and multiply by the salary. Term-time only school posts are cut again for the weeks you work, using a percentage that includes paid holiday. Under the NJC’s example, a 39-week post comes to 86.778 per cent of the full-time salary before any reduction for hours. Our guide to FTE salary vs actual salary has worked examples.

Some school adverts give the actual salary next to the FTE, for example “£26,427 FTE (actual £18,594)”. Where both appear, plan around the actual figure.

Grade names that tell you little

Councils and academy trusts often use local grade names such as “Grade 5”, “Scale 4” or “PO1”. None of these is national, and the same name can mean different pay in different councils. Look for the SCP numbers or the salary range, and if the advert gives neither, ask HR for the scale.

Civil Service adverts show the grade (AA, AO, EO, HEO, SEO, Grade 7 and so on) and a salary set by that department. Departments pay different amounts for the same grade, and many list a national and a London salary. For 2026/27 the pay remit guidance caps departmental pay rises at 3.5 per cent of the paybill, which says nothing about what each person will get. Most departments start new joiners at the minimum of the range.

Extras that may be included

Check whether the figure already includes extras:

• London weighting or HCAS. An NHS band 5 advert at an inner London site may show £38,488, which includes the 20 per cent supplement.
• Teacher allowances such as a TLR or SEN allowance, which are often listed separately from the pay range.
• Market supplements and recruitment premiums, which can be temporary and are not always pensionable.
• Unsocial hours enhancements, usually left out because they depend on your shifts. The advert may say “plus enhancements”.

The job pack or HR will confirm any of this. The job description and person specification usually gives the grade, and sometimes the full pay scale.

From the advert to your payslip

Once you know the actual annual salary you would start on, the take-home pay calculator gives the monthly figure after tax, National Insurance, pension and any student loan. If the job uses SCPs, the spine points explainer shows how quickly you would reach the top of the grade.