Band 2 covers healthcare assistants, porters, housekeeping and other vital support staff. From April 2026 Band 2 has a single national rate for England — the entry and top steps pay the same. High-cost area supplements and unsocial hours are not included.
If your gross pay is £25,272 a year, after income tax, National Insurance and this pension contribution your take-home is about £20,401 a year — that’s £1,700 a month, £392 a week.
| Year | Month | Week | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £25,272 | £2,106 | £486 |
| Income tax | −£2,212 | −£184 | −£43 |
| National Insurance | −£1,016 | −£85 | −£20 |
| Pension contribution | −£1,643 | −£137 | −£32 |
| Take-home pay | £20,401 | £1,700 | £392 |
Effective deduction rate: 19% of gross, leaving 81p in every pound. Marginal rate: 33%, so an extra £100 pay rise or overtime puts about £67 in your pocket.
NHS Pension contributions are tiered by pay, and the tier applies to your whole salary rather than a slice of it. At £25,272 the 2026/27 member rate is 6.5%, which is what the table above deducts — most online calculators apply one flat rate to every band and get this wrong.
Your NHS Pension contribution is taken off your pay before income tax is worked out — what HMRC calls a net pay arrangement. Relief is automatic at your top rate and there is nothing to claim back. So the £1,643 contribution above cuts your tax bill by £329, and its real cost to your take-home is £1,314 a year. Calculators that tax your whole salary and then subtract the pension understate your take-home by that £329.
Band 2 NHS has a single national rate, so the figure above applies whatever your length of service.
Figures based on the NHS Agenda for Change pay rates April 2026 and the NHS Pension member contribution tiers effective 1 April 2026. Actual take-home depends on your exact tax code, Scottish or Welsh rates, student loan plan, and whether you actually pay into the NHS Pension. Sources: Health Careers — Agenda for Change pay rates · NHS Employers — pension contribution tiers
Your actual take-home may differ because of your tax code, student loan, bonus, overtime or whether you opt out of this pension. Put your real numbers into our free salary calculator — nothing is recorded.
Other NHS bands
Band 3 NHS · Band 4 NHS · Band 5 nurse · Band 6 nurse · Band 7 nurse · Band 8a NHS · Band 8b NHS · Band 8c NHS · Band 8d NHS · Band 9 NHS
By profession: Paramedic · Midwife · Physiotherapist · Radiographer · Occupational therapist · Resident doctor — career-path take-home guides
In Scotland: NHS Scotland pays its own rates — see Band 2 take-home in Scotland
More take-home pages
Take-home pay by job · Teacher (England) · Teacher (Wales) · Police constable · Firefighter · Salary calculator · Tax code checker · Savings calculator