NHS Band 6 (Senior Nurse / Specialist) on £26,000 - Take-home pay & payslip breakdown
Monthly net pay for a UK nhs band 6 (senior nurse / specialist) earning £26,000 gross, calculated against HMRC 2026/27 PAYE bands and Class 1 employee National Insurance. Assumes 5% of qualifying earnings (£6,240–£50,270) under a net-pay arrangement, so it comes out of gross pay before income tax but not before National Insurance.
Verify my payslip free →Estimated take-home
£1,787.43/month
£21,449 per year · £412.48 per week
Full deduction breakdown
Tax code 1257L cumulative, England/Wales/NI bands, 2026/27 HMRC rates. Assumes 5% of qualifying earnings (£6,240–£50,270) under a net-pay arrangement, so it comes out of gross pay before income tax but not before National Insurance. On a different arrangement or percentage?
| Item | Annual | Monthly |
|---|---|---|
| Gross salary | £26,000 | £2,166.67 |
| Personal Allowance | £12,570 | £1,047.50 |
| Income Tax (PAYE) | -£2,488.40 | -£207.37 |
| National Insurance | -£1,074.40 | -£89.53 |
| Pension (5%) | -£988.00 | -£82.33 |
| Net take-home | £21,449 | £1,787.43 |
How does £26,000 compare?
£26,000 sits about 30% below the ONS ASHE 2024 median for an NHS Band 6 (Senior Nurse / Specialist) (£37,338). This typically corresponds to early-career, part-time or trainee positions in the occupation.
It is below the UK full-time national median of £37,430 (ONS ASHE 2024).
For context, the 25th percentile for this role sits at £37,338 and the 75th at £44,962 (ONS ASHE 2024). Quirk specific to this occupation: Band 6 covers senior staff nurses, sister and charge nurse and specialist practitioner posts, £39,959 to £48,117 from 1 April 2026. Every step is in the 9.8% NHS Pension tier, so the contribution percentage does not change across the band. High Cost Area Supplement adds 5 to 20 per cent in and around London, within a floor and a ceiling.
Effective deduction rate at this gross: 17.5%. Marginal rate (next pound earned): 28%.
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Upload & check free →Salary estimates: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (ASHE) 2024, full-time gross annual pay by SOC 2020 occupation. Figures rounded to nearest £100.