Comparing NHS Pay Across the UK Nations

Same band names, different cash

Agenda for Change uses the same band numbers across the UK, but the four nations publish their own salary points and agree pay awards on their own timetables.

England’s 2026/27 AfC points are on NHS Employers’ pay scales page. Scotland’s are on the Scottish Government’s Agenda for Change staff pay pages and in circulars such as PCS(AFC)2026/01.

Wales and Northern Ireland also settle separately. Northern Ireland can lag when local implementation is delayed — confirm with the employer if you are relocating on the back of a published scale.

Tax and weighting differences that catch people out

England alone uses the standard Inner / Outer / Fringe HCAS zones in the Terms and Conditions handbook. Scotland alone uses Scottish Income Tax for PAYE on relevant income.

Ignore those and you will mis-rank offers. The classic error is ranking jobs by basic salary alone, then discovering the London post had HCAS or the Scottish post had a different tax bill.

A fair comparison method

Fix the things that should stay equal: band point stage, weekly hours, student loan plan (GOV.UK thresholds), pension participation (NHSBSA tiers) and, if you can, a realistic unsocial pattern (Section 2). Then change only the nation or the London zone.

If one job is 30 hours and the other is 37.5, do not compare annual basics without pro-rating. When you have two concrete offers, the comparison tool on this site is quicker than bouncing between tabs.

What this site is for — and what it is not

NHSPC is an independent HealthCore Training tool. It is not run by the NHS, NHS Employers or any devolved government. Figures are estimates for education and planning. They are not a payroll promise.

Use the official sources linked in this article for the underlying rules, the calculators here for a joined-up estimate, and your employer’s offer paperwork for the decision that actually matters.