Agenda for change - pay rates

The following is a guide only to NHS Terms and Conditions of Service (Agenda for Change [1]) pay rates from April 2025.

This pay system covers all staff except doctors, dentists and very senior managers. Each of the nine pay bands has a number of pay points. Staff will normally progress to the next pay band after the required number of years until they reach the top of the pay band. In addition to basic pay, there is also extra pay for staff who work in high cost areas such as around London.

Band 1 (Please note that following the 2018 pay deal, band 1 closed to new entrants from 1 December 2018).

£24,465

Examples of roles at band 1 - domestic support worker [2], housekeeping assistant [3], [4] driver [5] and nursery assistant [6].

Band 2

< 2 years' experience £24,465

2+ years £24,465

Examples of roles at band 2 - domestic support worker [2], housekeeping assistant [3], [4] driver [5], nursery assistant [6], domestic team leader [2], security officer [7], secretary/typist [8] and healthcare assistant [9].

Band 3

<2 years' experience £24,937
2+ years £26,598

Examples of roles at band 3- emergency care assistant [10], trainee clinical coder [11] and [12]occupational therapy support worker [13].

Band 4

< 3 years' experience £27,485
3+ years £30,162

Examples of roles at band 4 - assistant practitioner [14], audio visual technician [15], pharmacy technician [16], dental nurse [17] and trainee psychological wellbeing practitioner [18].

Band 5

<2 years' experience £31,049
2-4 years £33,487
4+ years £37,796

Examples of roles at band 5 - ICT test analyst [19] and many newly qualified clinical professionals such as nurse [20], operating department practitioner [21] (ODP), podiatrist [22] and therapeutic radiographer [23].

Band 6

<2 years' experience £38,682
2-5 years £40,823
5+ years £46,580

Examples of roles at band 6 - school nurse [24], experienced [25] paramedic [26], estates officer [27], health records manager [28] and clinical psychology trainee [29].

Band 7

<2 years' experience £47,810
2-5 years £50,273
5+ years £54,710

Examples of roles at band 7 - communications manager [30], estates manager [31], high intensity therapist [32] and advanced speech and language therapist [33].

Band 8a

< 2 years' experience £55,690

2-5 years £58,487

5+ years £62,682

Examples of roles at band 8a - consultant prosthetist/orthotist [34], dental laboratory manager [35], [36] project and programme management [37], modern matron (nursing) [38] and nurse consultant (mental health nursing). [39]

Band 8b

< 2 years' experience £64,455

2-5 years £68,631
5+ years £74,896

Examples of roles at band 8b - strategic management [40], head of education and training [41], clinical physiology service manager [42] and [43]head orthoptist [44]. [43]

Band 8c

<2 years' experience £76,965

2-5 years £81,652
5+ years £88,682

Examples of roles at band 8c - head of human resources [45], consultant clinical scientist (molecular genetics/cytogenetics) [46] and consultant paramedic. [25]

Band 8d

<2 years' experience £91,342

2-5 years £96,941
5+ years £105,337

Examples of roles at band 8d include consultant psychologist [29] (8c-8d), estates manager [47], chief nurse [48] and chief finance manager [49].

Band 9

<2 years' experience £109,179

2-5 years £115,763
5+ years £125,637

Examples of roles at band 9 include podiatric consultant (surgery) [22], chief finance manager [49] and director of estates and facilities [50].

High cost area supplements

Area	Level (1 April 2025)
Inner London	20% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £5,609 and a maximum payment of £8,466
Outer London	15% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £4,714 and a maximum payment of £5,941
Fringe	5% of basic salary, subject to a minimum payment of £1,303 and a maximum payment of £2,198