Midwives are paid on the NHS Agenda for Change scale. Newly qualified midwives typically start at Band 5, usually spending their first year in a supported preceptorship programme, then progress to Band 6 — the core grade for hospital and community midwives. Senior roles such as labour ward coordinators and team leaders are typically Band 7, and consultant midwives reach Bands 8b–8c. The table below shows what each stage actually pays after tax, National Insurance and the NHS Pension, using the April 2026 national rates for England.
Take-home pay at every career stage
| Career stage | Gross | Pension tier | Take-home / year | / month |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newly qualified — Band 5 point 1 | £32,073 | 8.3% | £24,483 | £2,040 |
| Band 5 point 2 | £34,592 | 8.3% | £26,129 | £2,177 |
| Band 5 point 3 | £39,043 | 9.8% | £28,570 | £2,381 |
| Midwife (core grade) — Band 6 point 1 | £39,959 | 9.8% | £29,157 | £2,430 |
| Band 6 point 2 | £42,170 | 9.8% | £30,576 | £2,548 |
| Band 6 point 3 | £48,117 | 9.8% | £34,391 | £2,866 |
| Coordinator / team leader — Band 7 point 1 | £49,387 | 9.8% | £35,206 | £2,934 |
| Band 7 point 2 | £51,932 | 9.8% | £36,939 | £3,078 |
| Band 7 point 3 | £56,515 | 10.7% | £39,708 | £3,309 |
Each row links to a full breakdown page for that pay point — income tax, National Insurance and pension, by year, month and week.
One thing most “salary after tax” calculators get wrong here: the NHS Pension Scheme is a net pay arrangement, so the contribution comes off your pay before income tax is worked out. Relief is automatic at your top rate and there is nothing to claim back — but it also means your taxable pay is lower than your headline salary, so the take-home figures above are higher than a calculator that taxes the full salary and then subtracts the pension would tell you.
NHS Pension contributions are tiered by pay, and the tier applies to your whole salary — that is why the rate column changes as you climb. The table uses the 2026/27 member tiers; most online calculators apply one flat rate to every band and get this wrong.
Maternity care runs around the clock, and most staff earn more than the basic-scale figures above through unsocial hours enhancements (Agenda for Change Section 2 rates for nights, weekends and bank holidays). Those payments vary by rota and trust, so they are deliberately not included — treat the table as your guaranteed baseline, not your ceiling.
Do midwives start on Band 5 or Band 6?
Band 5, typically. NHS Health Careers lists midwifery as “typically starting at band 5”, usually with a preceptorship year, before progression to Band 6. In take-home terms that first step up is worth about £4,675 a year on these figures.
What does a labour ward coordinator earn after tax?
Labour ward coordinator and midwifery team leader posts are typically Band 7 — £49,387 to £56,515 gross in 2026/27, which is roughly £35,206 to £39,708 a year in your pocket after tax, NI and the pension.
Figures based on the NHS Agenda for Change pay rates April 2026 (England) 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 pay into the NHS Pension. Sources: Health Careers — Agenda for Change pay rates · NHS Employers — pension contribution tiers · NHS Health Careers — midwife role profile
Your actual take-home may differ because of your tax code, student loan, unsocial-hours enhancements or pension opt-out. Put your real numbers into our free salary calculator — nothing is recorded.
More take-home pages
Take-home pay by job · Paramedic take-home · Physiotherapist take-home · Radiographer take-home · Occupational therapist take-home · Resident doctor take-home · Band 2 NHS · Band 8a NHS · Teacher (England) · Police constable · Firefighter · Salary calculator · Tax code checker