Answers · UK 2025/26

What is the take-home pay for an NHS Band 6 paramedic?

NHS Band 6 paramedics typically earn in the range of roughly £37,000 to £45,000 a year on the Agenda for Change pay scale, depending on experience. On a mid-point salary of £40,000 in 2026/27, take-home pay after Income Tax (£5,486) and National Insurance (£2,194.40) is £32,319.60 a year, or about £2,693.30 a month -- before NHS Pension Scheme contributions.

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

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Paramedics in the NHS are typically employed on Band 6 of the Agenda for Change pay scale, which covers a range of pay points that increase with service, roughly spanning from the high £30,000s at the entry point to the mid-£40,000s at the top of the band -- exact figures vary by pay award year and any local weighting. Taking a representative mid-band salary of £40,000 for 2026/27: taxable income after the £12,570 Personal Allowance is £27,430, taxed entirely at the 20% basic rate, giving £5,486 Income Tax. National Insurance is 8% of £27,430 = £2,194.40. Combined deductions of £7,680.40 leave £32,319.60 take-home pay a year, around £2,693.30 a month. NHS staff are automatically enrolled in the NHS Pension Scheme, with employee contribution rates set on a tiered structure based on actual pensionable pay -- typically in the region of 9% to 10% of salary for Band 6 earners, though the exact tier and rate should be checked against the current NHS Pension Scheme contribution tables, as this is deducted before tax and will further reduce both the Income Tax bill and take-home cash pay shown above.