NHS Band 2 Salary 2026/27 — Pay & Take-Home by Step
Band 2 pays £25,272 to £25,272 in England for 2026/27 — and £26,696 to £28,988 in Scotland. After NHS pension, income tax and National Insurance, a full-time Band 2 at entry point takes home £1,700.11 a month. Every step, both nations, London weighting and part-time figures are below.
Last updated November 2026 · Figures checked against NHS Employers and the Scottish Government in November 2026. Next scheduled check: the April 2027 pay award.
Band 2 take-home calculator
| Gross pay | £25,272.00 |
| NHS pension | |
| Income tax | |
| National Insurance | |
| Take-home pay (year) |
Gross hourly rate for this step: . Estimates only — unsocial hours, overtime and bank pay are not included.
Band 2 pay at every step — England
| Step | Salary | Hourly | Pension | Income tax | NI | Take-home / year | Take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry point | £25,272 | £12.92 | £1,642.68 (6.5%) | £2,211.86 | £1,016.16 | £20,401.30 | £1,700.11 |
| Top of band | £25,272 | £12.92 | £1,642.68 (6.5%) | £2,211.86 | £1,016.16 | £20,401.30 | £1,700.11 |
Full-time (37.5 hours), NHS Pension member, no London weighting or student loan, standard tax code 1257L. Source: NHS Employers 2026/27.
Band 2 in Scotland
| Point | Salary | Hourly | Take-home / year | Take-home / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Point 1 | £26,696 | £14.22 | £21,413.54 | £1,784.46 |
| Point 2 | £28,988 | £15.44 | £22,807.29 | £1,900.61 |
Full-time (36 hours), Scottish income tax bands and SPPA pension tiers applied. Source: Scottish Government 2026/27.
Band 2 with London weighting
At the entry step in England, London weighting (HCAS) lifts Band 2 pay — and because it is pensionable, your pension builds on the higher amount too:
| Inner London — HCAS £5,794.00, gross £31,066.00 | Take-home £1,985.36/mo |
| Outer London — HCAS £4,870.00, gross £30,142.00 | Take-home £1,935.03/mo |
| London Fringe — HCAS £1,346.00, gross £26,618.00 | Take-home £1,775.04/mo |
| No weighting — gross £25,272 | Take-home £1,700.11/mo |
Band 2 part-time
Part-time pay is the same band and step, pro-rata. At 22.5 hours a week (0.6 WTE) on the entry step, gross pay is £15,163.20, giving take-home of £1,137.38 a month. Use the calculator above with your own hours for your exact figures.
The first rung of Agenda for Change
Band 2 is where Agenda for Change begins — Band 1 has been closed to new entrants since 2021. From the entry point here, the next step is Band 3 (£25,760 at entry), and the full ladder is on the pay bands page.
Which jobs are Band 2?
Band 2 is the foundation of the NHS workforce: healthcare assistants and healthcare support workers, porters, domestic and catering staff, pharmacy assistants, and reception and admin support all commonly sit here. Band 1 has been closed to new entrants since 2021, so Band 2 is where Agenda for Change now begins.
Worked example — Band 2 entry point, full-time (England)
Gross pay of £25,272.00 a year becomes £1,700.11 a month in your bank account. Across the year, NHS pension £1,642.68 (6.5%), income tax £2,211.86 and National Insurance £1,016.16 come off, leaving £20,401.30 of take-home pay. London weighting, part-time hours and student loans change the picture — the calculator above runs your exact position.
How Band 2 take-home pay is worked out
The method is the same for every band. Start with gross pay, plus any London weighting. Your NHS pension contribution comes off first and reduces the pay that income tax is charged on. Income tax is then charged above the £12,570 personal allowance — 20% up to £50,270 and 40% above it, with the allowance itself reducing by £1 for every £2 earned over £100,000. National Insurance is charged on your full pay at 8% between £12,570 and £50,270 and 2% above that — the pension does not reduce NI. Student loan repayments, if you have one, are worked out on pay before the pension deduction. The full method, with sources, is on our methodology page.
Band 2 — frequently asked questions
How much is Band 2 NHS pay in 2026/27?
Band 2 in England runs from £25,272 to £25,272. In Scotland, Band 2 starts at £26,696. Figures are the 2026/27 Agenda for Change scales.
What is the take-home pay for Band 2?
A full-time Band 2 at entry point in England takes home £1,700.11 a month (£20,401.30 a year) after NHS pension, income tax and National Insurance. At the top step it is £1,700.11 a month.
What is Band 2 hourly pay?
£12.92 an hour at entry point in England, rising to £12.92 at the top step. In Scotland it starts at £14.22 an hour on the 36-hour week.
Is Band 2 the lowest NHS band?
For new entrants, yes. Band 1 (domestics and catering) closed to new staff in 2021 and its staff moved onto Band 2 terms, so Band 2 is the entry point of Agenda for Change.
How do I progress from Band 2?
Experienced support staff move to Band 3 senior support roles, and nursing associate apprenticeships (Band 4) are a common next step for healthcare assistants who want to progress clinically.
How every figure on this site is calculated and checked: our methodology.