NHS Band 5 · York · Agenda for Change 2026/27

NHS Band 5 Salary in York 2026/27

Registered Nurse / Allied Health Professional. Gross salary £32,074. Net take-home after pension: £1,956/month. Solo 1-bed living is stressed — rent takes 49% of take-home.

Gross
£32,074
annual AfC salary
Net after pension
£1,956
per month
Pension input
£262
employee / month
After rent
£1,006
per month
Stretched — rent takes 49% of take-home after pension. Consider a shared house or outer-area flat.

NHS Pension Scheme

Employee contribution
£222/mo
8.3% of gross
Net take-home
£1,996/mo
after tax, NI & pension
After rent
£1,046/mo
disposable income

Most NHS staff joined the 2015 scheme. Your payslip will show which scheme applies to you. Contribution rates from NHS Employers 2026/27.

Monthly Budget Breakdown — NHS Band 5 in York

Item Amount
AfC Base Salary £32,074/yr
Income Tax −£325/mo
National Insurance −£130/mo
NHS Pension (9.8%) −£262/mo
Net take-home £1,956/mo
Rent (1-bed median) −£950/mo
Council tax −£120/mo
Transport −£68/mo
Remaining £818/mo

Tax computed using HMRC 2025/26 rates. AfC salaries: NHS Employers pay circular 2026/27. Rent = Rightmove Q4 2025 median. All figures rounded to nearest £1.

Updated April 2026 — 3.3% Agenda for Change pay award
2025/26 range
£29,969 – £36,483
+3.3%
2026/27 range
£30,959 – £37,687
+£990 at entry

Pay Progression — NHS Band 5 2026/27

Experience Annual gross Monthly take-home After rent RTI
0–2 years £30,959 £1,937/mo £987/mo 49%
2–4 years £33,706 £2,083/mo £1,133/mo 46%
4+ years £37,687 £2,294/mo £1,344/mo 41%

Progression based on NHS Agenda for Change 2026/27 pay scales. Monthly take-home calculated after tax, NI, and 2015 CARE scheme pension at applicable tier rate. Moving to the next band requires applying for a higher-band post — progression is not automatic.

NHS Pension Breakdown

Monthly Contributions
Employee contribution (9.8%) £262/mo
Employer contribution (23.7%) £633/mo
Total pension input £895/mo
30-Year Projection (CARE Scheme)
Annual contributions (combined) £10,740/yr
Total contributions over 30 years £322,200
Est. annual pension at retirement £17,819/yr
Should I opt out of the NHS pension?

Opting out increases take-home by £262/month, but you permanently lose the NHS employer contribution of £633/month and the security of a defined-benefit guarantee. The 2015 CARE scheme provides an inflation-linked pension for life with no investment risk. For most NHS staff, staying enrolled is strongly recommended. If short-term cash flow is the concern, explore salary sacrifice for other costs (e.g. cycle-to-work, car leasing) before opting out.

NHS Band 5 in Other Cities

Manchester Birmingham Bristol Edinburgh Glasgow

Career Progression

↓ Band 4 — £28,740/yr ↑ Band 6 — £42,044/yr

Affordability & Comparisons

NHS Band 5 — all cities All NHS pay bands Can I afford York on £30,000? Software Engineer salary in York

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the take-home pay for an NHS Band 5 in York in 2026/27? +
An NHS Band 5 in York earns £32,074 gross. Net take-home before pension deduction: £2,218/month. After the 9.8% pension contribution of £262/month, take-home is £1,956/month.
What does the NHS pension contribute on a Band 5 salary? +
On an NHS Band 5 salary of £32,074, the employee pays £262/month (9.8%) and the NHS employer adds £633/month (23.7%) into the 2015 Career Average (CARE) scheme. Combined annual pension input: £10,740/year. After 30 years the CARE scheme projects an estimated annual pension of approximately £17,819/year at retirement.
Can an NHS Band 5 afford to live alone in York? +
On £1,956/month net after pension, an NHS Band 5 in York has £1,006/month remaining after average 1-bed rent of £950/month. Rent-to-income ratio: 49%. Solo 1-bed living is stressed — rent takes 49% of take-home.
What is the HCAS for NHS Band 5 in York? +
York does not qualify for the NHS High Cost Area Supplement. The NHS Band 5 salary here is the standard Agenda for Change rate of £32,074. HCAS is only payable in Inner London, Outer London, and designated fringe areas of South East England.

Studying nursing? See if you can afford university in York first → Student finance in York

Data sources & methodology

NHS Employers Agenda for Change Pay Scales 2026/27 · HMRC Income Tax Rates 2025/26 · Rightmove Rental Trends Tracker Q1 2026

Analysis by the SalaryDex data team · May 2026 · Corrections: [email protected] · Full methodology · Data transparency pledge

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0