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Nursing staff at work

NHS conditions of employment

Standard working hours, overtime, annual leave and on-call working arrangements

The standard full-time working week for NHS staff is 37 hours in Scotland and 37.5 hours in the rest of the UK. 

Find out more about your conditions and entitlements, as well as information on high-cost area supplements and on-call working arrangements.

NHS annual leave, including public holidays

The number of days of annual leave you are entitled to depends on how long you've worked in the NHS. Any previous periods of continuous service in the NHS are also taken into account.

35

days a year for first 5 years
37

days a year after 5 years' service 
41

days a year after 10 years' service

NHS overtime payments 

All NHS staff in pay bands 1–7 are eligible for overtime payments if they work more than 37 hours a week in Scotland or 37.5 hours a week in the rest of the UK. Part-time employees receive standard time rates for additional hours up to 37 hours per week in Scotland and 37.5 hours per week in the rest of the UK.

Senior staff in pay bands 8 and 9 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are not entitled to overtime payments.

Overtime pay is based on your basic pay rate and does not include the High Cost Area Supplement (HCAS).

You can request time off in lieu instead of overtime.

Find out more abour our payment for every hour worked campaign.

1.5x  your standard hourly rate for every hour of overtime worked
2x 

your standard hourly rate for working on bank holidays

Bank staff

If you're employed on an NHS Employer Bank, be aware that some employers are reducing their bank rates of pay. We object to this and we're fighting against it locally and nationally. You should only work for the appropriate rate.

Agenda for Change staff 

If you're employed on an Agenda for Change contract and work additional hours, you should, if part time, be paid your substantive rate of pay and, if full time, be paid overtime.

2026/27 hourly rates and overtime pay

Find the hourly rates and overtime pay for your country and band in the tables below. Staff employed at bands 8 and 9 in England, Wales and Northern Ireland are not eligible for overtime pay.

Find out more about our know your worth campaign.

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £12.92£19.38£25.84
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top N/A N/A N/A

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £13.17 £19.76 £26.34
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £14.05£21.08 £28.10

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £14.52£21.78£29.04
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £15.93£23.90£31.86

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £16.40£24.60£32.80
Intermediate £17.69£26.54£35.38
Top £19.97£29.96£39.94

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £20.44£30.66£40.88
Intermediate £21.57£32.36£43.14
Top £24.61£36.92£49.22

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £25.26£37.89£50.52
Intermediate £26.56£39.84£53.12
Top £28.90£43.35£57.80

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £14.22£21.33£28.44
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £15.44£23.16£30.88

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £15.50£23.25£31.00
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £16.73£25.10£33.46

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £16.80£25.20£33.60
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £18.27£27.41£36.54

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £18.40£27.60£36.80
Intermediate £19.66£29.49£39.32
Top £22.93£34.40£45.86

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £23.03£34.55£46.06
Intermediate £24.04£36.06£48.08
Top £28.06£42.09£56.12

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £28.15£42.23£56.30
Intermediate £29.23£43.85£58.46
Top £32.74£49.11£65.48

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £34.69 £52.04 £69.38
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £37.45 £56.18 £74.90

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £40.96 £61.44 £81.92
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £43.82 £65.73 £87.64

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £48.38 £72.57 £96.76
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £51.85 £77.78 £103.70

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £57.43 £86.15 £114.86
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £59.89 £89.84 £119.78

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       
  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £67.93 £101.90 £135.86
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £70.88 £106.32 £141.76

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £13.45£20.18£26.90
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top N/A N/A N/A

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £13.45£20.18£26.90
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £16.17£24.26£32.34

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £14.74£22.11£29.48
Intermediate N/A N/A N/A
Top £16.17£24.26£32.34

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £16.65£24.98£33.30
Intermediate £17.96£26.94£35.92
Top £20.27£30.41£40.54

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £20.74£31.11£41.48
Intermediate £21.89£32.84£43.78
Top £24.98£37.47£49.96

  Standard working hours Overtime rates Public holiday rates
Entry  £25.64£38.46£51.28
Intermediate £26.96£40.44£53.92
Top £29.34£44.01£58.68

On-call work

If you are on an NHS Agenda for Change contract and you work on-call, you are entitled to receive an on-call payment. These payments are negotiated locally but have to comply with national principles to ensure a consistent approach and to meet equal pay requirements.

High cost area supplements

If you work in Greater London or the counties immediately surrounding London (the fringe zone), you'll receive extra pay on top of your basic salary as follows:

+ 20% if you work in inner London (subject to a minimum payment of £5,794 & a maximum payment of £8,746)
+ 15% if you work in outer London (subject to a minimum payment of £4,870 & a maximum payment of £6,137)
+ 5% if you work in the fringe zone (subject to a minimum payment of £1,346 & a maximum payment of £2,270)

What is Agenda for Change?

Agenda for Change is the system of standardised pay, terms and conditions for NHS workers

When implemented in the NHS across the UK in 2004, Agenda for Change was the biggest overhaul of NHS-wide pay, terms and conditions in more than 50 years.

Find out more about NHS employment

Annual pay increments

Each Agenda for Change pay band has a number of points. If you have not reached the maximum point in your pay band, you will progress to the next point each year if your performance is satisfactory and you demonstrate the expected knowledge and skills. Your employer must have a fair appraisal system in place to assess your performance.

The competencies for each band are determined by the Agenda for Change Knowledge and Skills Framework (KSF), which sets out the knowledge and skills required for each job role.

You can find more about pay progression on the NHS Employers website.

NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook

You can find more in-depth information on all the topics covered on this page in the NHS terms and conditions of service handbook.

We're here for you

If you're an RCN member and need advice on your pay and conditions of employment, you can contact the RCN seven days a week, 365 days a year.

 

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