NHS Band 4 pay, 2026/27
Band 4 runs from £28,392 to £31,157 a year in England, across 2 pay steps, effective 1 April 2026.
Updated for 2026/27Pay circular effective 1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027
Pay steps
| Step | Annual | Hourly | Years to next step |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry | £28,392 | £14.52 | 3 |
| Top | £31,157 | £15.93 | — |
From the entry step, reaching the top of Band 4 takes 3 years of service — subject to meeting the appraisal and standards requirements, which are not a number and are not modelled here.
Figures above from: NHS Employers / NHS Staff Council pay circular for 2026/27 (England). Effective from 2026-04-01. This site is not affiliated with the NHS, NHS Employers or the NHS Business Services Authority.
What reaches your account
At the entry step, full time, in the NHS Pension Scheme, outside a high cost area, on the standard tax code:
| Gross pay | £28,392 |
|---|---|
| Income tax | − £2,795.30 |
| National Insurance | − £1,265.76 |
| Pension (6.5%) | − £1,845.48 |
| Take-home a year | £22,485.46 |
| Take-home a month | £1,873.79 |
Student loan repayments are not included in this example. Being in the pension scheme lowers the income tax line but not the National Insurance line, because contributions come out before tax and after National Insurance.
Unsocial hours at Band 4
| When | Enhancement |
|---|---|
| All Saturday, and weekdays after 20:00 and before 06:00 | Time plus 30% |
| All Sunday and public holidays | Time plus 60% |
These are worked out on basic salary — £28,392 at the entry step — and specifically not on any high cost area supplement you receive. See unsocial hours for the whole-shift rule and a worked example.
Pension contributions at Band 4
At £28,392 of actual pensionable pay the contribution rate is 6.5%, which is £1,845.48 a year. If you work part time your tier is set by what you are actually paid, not by the figure above — which usually means a lower rate.
| Annual pensionable pay | Contribution rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,260 to £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,855 to £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,156 to £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,779 to £67,668 | 10.7% |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% |
In a high cost area
On the entry step of £28,392, each zone pays:
| Zone | Supplement | Total with basic | Set by |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inner London | £5,794 | £34,186 | the minimum payment |
| Outer London | £4,870 | £33,262 | the minimum payment |
| Fringe | £1,420 | £29,812 | the percentage |
Progression
Reaching the top of Band 4 from the entry step takes 3 years, which is a rise of £2,765 — 9.7% over the band. Progression is also conditional on meeting the appraisal and standards requirements, which are not a figure and are not modelled here.