Answers · UK 2025/26

How does NHS Band 5 nurse take-home pay compare with Band 6 in 2026/27?

A Band 5 staff nurse on £31,000 takes home £25,839.60 a year (£2,153.30 a month) after tax and NI in 2026/27, while a Band 6 nurse on £40,000 takes home £32,319.60 (£2,693.30 a month) -- a gap of £6,480 a year in net pay for a £9,000 gross pay rise on promotion.

Last updated: 3 July 2026Last reviewed: 3 July 2026How we verify

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Progressing from an NHS Band 5 staff nurse role to a Band 6 senior or specialist nurse position typically comes with a significant pay increase, and comparing take-home pay shows how much of that increase is actually kept after tax and National Insurance. A newly qualified Band 5 nurse on a representative salary of £31,000 for 2026/27 pays £3,686 Income Tax and £1,474.40 National Insurance, keeping £25,839.60 a year, or £2,153.30 a month. A Band 6 nurse on a representative mid-point salary of £40,000 pays £5,486 Income Tax and £2,194.40 National Insurance, keeping £32,319.60 a year, or £2,693.30 a month. The gross pay difference between the two salaries is £9,000, but the net (take-home) difference is only £6,480, meaning roughly 28% of the pay increase is absorbed by additional Income Tax and National Insurance, since the extra income is taxed entirely within the 20% basic rate and 8% National Insurance bands for both nurses (neither salary reaches the 40% higher rate threshold of £50,270). Both figures are before NHS Pension Scheme contributions, which are compulsory for most NHS staff and calculated on a tiered basis depending on pensionable pay, meaning the Band 6 nurse likely pays a somewhat higher pension contribution percentage than the Band 5 nurse, further narrowing the take-home pay gap in practice while building a larger pension entitlement.