NHS Pension Calculator 2026/27 — What You Pay In, What You Could Get
Every year in the 2015 Scheme banks 1/54th of your pay as pension, revalued at CPI + 1.5% every April. Pick your band and years of service to see your real contribution, what your employer adds, and an honest estimate of your pension — with the assumptions stated, not hidden.
Last updated November 2026 · Figures checked against NHSBSA and SPPA in November 2026. Next scheduled check: the April 2027 uprating.
Estimate your NHS pension
| Pension banked each year (pay ÷ 54) | £739.98 |
| Your contribution | £326.33 / month |
| Your contribution rate (tier) | 9.8% |
| Your employer adds | £9,470 / year |
| Your total contributions over the period | £97,900 |
Assumptions, stated plainly: your pay stays at the level selected for the whole period; banked pension is revalued at 2.5% a year (the CPI + 1.5% rule, modelled at 2.5%); pension taken in full at Normal Pension Age (your State Pension age, minimum 65) with no early-retirement reduction and no lump-sum swap. Change any of those in real life and the outcome changes.
How the 2015 Scheme actually works
Bank. Each scheme year, 1/54th of your pensionable pay is banked as annual pension. On £39,959 (Band 6 entry), that is £739.98 of pension for every year worked — it never disappears and is not invested in the stock market.
Revalue. Every April, everything you have banked is increased by CPI inflation plus 1.5% while you are an active member. In April 2026 the increase was 5.3%. Leave the scheme and banked pension still rises with CPI.
Retire. At Normal Pension Age — your State Pension age, at least 65 — the slices are added up and paid as a guaranteed income for life, rising with inflation. You can swap part of it for a lump sum: £12 for every £1 of annual pension you give up, within HMRC limits.
Your contribution tiers — 2026/27
Your rate depends on your actual pensionable pay (part-timers: what you really earn, not full-time equivalent):
| England — pensionable pay | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,259 | 5.2% |
| £13,260 – £28,854 | 6.5% |
| £28,855 – £35,155 | 8.3% |
| £35,156 – £52,778 | 9.8% |
| £52,779 – £67,668 | 10.7% |
| £67,669 and above | 12.5% |
| Scotland — pensionable pay | Rate |
|---|---|
| Up to £13,330 | 5.7% |
| £13,331 – £28,987 | 6.4% |
| £28,988 – £34,302 | 7.0% |
| £34,303 – £43,038 | 8.7% |
| £43,039 – £45,134 | 9.8% |
| £45,135 – £54,862 | 10.5% |
| £54,863 – £59,369 | 11.2% |
| £59,370 – £83,026 | 11.6% |
| £83,027 and above | 12.7% |
Sources: NHSBSA "Cost of being in the Scheme" and SPPA circular 2026/03. On top of your contribution, your employer pays 23.7% of your pay into the scheme in England (22.5% in Scotland) — money you never see leave your payslip.
Worked example — Band 6, entry point
Take a Band 6 nurse on £39,959. The contribution tier is 9.8%, so £326.33 a month comes off the payslip — £3,915.98 a year. In return, that one year banks £739.98 a year of pension (one 54th of pensionable pay), which is then revalued every year until retirement, and the employer adds 23.7% of pay — about £9,470 a year — on top. On the calculator's default assumptions above, 25 years at this level builds an estimated pension of around £25,276 a year at retirement. Your own figure depends on your band, step and how long you stay in the scheme — run the calculator with your real numbers.
NHS pension — frequently asked questions
How is the NHS pension calculated?
In the 2015 Scheme, each year you bank 1/54th of your pensionable pay as annual pension. Every April the banked amount is revalued by CPI plus 1.5% while you are an active member. Your pension at retirement is the sum of all those revalued yearly slices.
How much do I pay into the NHS pension?
Your contribution is a percentage of your pensionable pay set by tier — from 5.2% to 12.5% in England and 5.7% to 12.7% in Scotland for 2026/27. The tier is set by your actual pay, so part-timers are tiered on what they really earn, not their full-time equivalent.
When can I take my NHS pension?
The 2015 Scheme's Normal Pension Age is your State Pension age, and at least 65. You can usually take it earlier with a permanent reduction, or later with an increase. Older 1995 and 2008 section benefits have different pension ages.
Can I take part of my NHS pension as a lump sum?
Yes. You can swap part of your annual pension for a tax-free lump sum at retirement: £12 of lump sum for every £1 of annual pension you give up, within HMRC limits.
Is this estimate guaranteed?
No — it is a planning estimate. It assumes your pay stays at the level you enter and models revaluation at 2.5% a year (CPI + 1.5%). Your real pension depends on your actual pay each year, actual inflation, any career breaks and any benefits in the older 1995/2008 sections. Your Annual Benefit Statement from NHS Pensions is authoritative.
How every figure on this site is calculated and checked: our methodology.