Band 3 covers experienced healthcare assistants, emergency care assistants, therapy assistants and clinical administrative staff. The two spine points below are the published April 2026 national rates for England. High-cost area supplements and unsocial hours are not included.
If your gross pay is £25,760 a year, after income tax, National Insurance and this pension contribution your take-home is about £20,727 a year — that’s £1,727 a month, £399 a week.
| Year | Month | Week | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gross pay | £25,760 | £2,147 | £495 |
| Income tax | −£2,303 | −£192 | −£44 |
| National Insurance | −£1,055 | −£88 | −£20 |
| Pension contribution | −£1,674 | −£140 | −£32 |
| Take-home pay | £20,727 | £1,727 | £399 |
Effective deduction rate: 20% of gross, leaving 80p 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 £25,760 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 £1,674 contribution above cuts your tax bill by £335, and its real cost to your take-home is £1,340 a year. Calculators that tax your whole salary and then subtract the pension understate your take-home by that £335.
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.
Band 3 NHS pay points
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Other NHS bands
Band 2 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 3 take-home in Scotland
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