NHS Scotland Agenda for Change staff are on a confirmed two-year pay deal: a 4.4% rise in 2025/26 (uplifted from 4.25% by an inflation guarantee) and 3.75% in 2026/27. The deal covers about 170,000 staff, was accepted by trade unions in May 2025, is backdated to 1 April 2025, and pays 2025/26 arrears in February–March 2026. (publications.scot.nhs.uk; gov.scot)
Last updated 17 July 2026. Sourced from Scottish Government circular PCS(AFC)2026/1 (23 January 2026) and the Scottish Government pay-deal announcement.
What Is the NHS Scotland Pay Rise for 2025/26 and 2026/27?
The NHS Scotland pay rise is a two-year settlement for Agenda for Change (AfC) staff worth 4.4% in 2025/26 and 3.75% in 2026/27. Agenda for Change is the national pay framework that covers non-medical NHS Scotland staff, and this two-year deal applies to every AfC pay point, lead and allowance. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
| Year | Headline uplift | Status |
| 2025/26 | 4.4% | Confirmed and paid; inflation-adjusted up from 4.25% |
| 2026/27 | 3.75% | Confirmed; effective 1 April 2026; possible top-up March 2027 |
Why you may have seen both 4.25% and 4.4%. The original deal, agreed in May 2025, set a 4.25% rise for 2025/26. (publications.scot.nhs.uk) The deal also carries an inflation guarantee: each year’s pay will land at least 1 percentage point above average calendar-year CPI inflation. When 2025 CPI was confirmed at 3.4% in January 2026, that guarantee triggered a 0.15% top-up, taking 2025/26 from 4.25% to 4.4%. (publications.scot.nhs.uk; nursinginpractice.com)
The 4.4% figure is the correct, current 2025/26 rise. Any page or poster still showing 4.25% for 2025/26 predates the January 2026 update. The 3.75% figure for 2026/27 is applied to the new 4.4% baseline — so 2026/27 salaries are higher than early tables predicted. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Is the NHS Scotland Pay Deal Confirmed and Accepted?
Yes — the deal is confirmed, accepted and implemented. Trade unions balloted their members in spring 2025, and Agenda for Change staff voted to accept the two-year offer in May 2025. UNISON, Scotland’s biggest health union, reported an 86% accept vote. (unison-scotland.org; gov.scot)
The deal covers almost 170,000 AfC staff — nurses, midwives, paramedics, allied health professionals, porters, healthcare support and admin staff — and represents an investment of £701 million over two years. (gov.scot) Health Secretary Neil Gray said staff would “see the benefit of this pay uplift in their pay packets from next month.” (gov.scot)
The status journey runs as follows:
- April 2025 — Scottish Government makes the final two-year offer.
- April–May 2025 — Unions (UNISON, RCN, Unite, GMB) ballot members.
- 15 May 2025 — Staff accept the deal (UNISON 86% accept). (unison-scotland.org)
- 19 May 2025 — Circular PCS(AFC)2025/5 sets the 4.25%/3.75% rates. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
- 23 January 2026 — Circular PCS(AFC)2026/1 updates 2025/26 to 4.4% after the inflation guarantee triggers. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Matt McLaughlin, UNISON Scotland head of health, said on acceptance: “NHS workers have accepted the deal. Now ministers must get the wage rise into their pay packets as soon as possible.” (unison-scotland.org)
When Will the NHS Scotland Pay Rise Be Paid — And Is There Back Pay?
The 4.4% 2025/26 rate appears in February 2026 salaries, with the majority of arrears paid in March 2026. The 3.75% 2026/27 rise begins on 1 April 2026 and is paid on time, with a possible second top-up in March 2027. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
The full payment timeline:
| Step | Date | What happens |
| 1 | April 2025 | Deal backdated to 1 April 2025 (gov.scot) |
| 2 | May 2025 | Deal accepted |
| 3 | August 2025 | 4.25% back pay paid (nhstakehomepaycalculator.co.uk) |
| 4 | 23 January 2026 | Inflation guarantee triggered (2025 CPI = 3.4%) |
| 5 | February 2026 | 4.4% rate appears in salaries (publications.scot.nhs.uk) |
| 6 | March 2026 | Arrears for the 0.15% top-up paid |
| 7 | 1 April 2026 | 3.75% 2026/27 rise begins |
| 8 | March 2027 | Possible second top-up if 2026 CPI > 2.75% |
How much back pay will you get? Only the 0.15% top-up (from 4.25% to 4.4%) is owed as fresh back pay in 2026; the original 4.25% back pay was paid in 2025. The top-up is a one-off, consolidated, pensionable payment, calculated on your pre-uplift salary as at 31 March 2025. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Worked example — a Band 5 Point 1 nurse employed since 1 April 2025:
- 2025/26 salary (4.4%): £33,295. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
- Top-up owed: 0.15% of £33,247 ≈ £50, paid mostly in March 2026.
- Exact amounts vary by individual pay journey (start date, increments, promotion).
For reference, a Band 2 Point 1 member earns roughly £39 and a Band 6 Point 1 roughly £62 in top-up back pay under the same logic.
Will there be a second top-up in 2027? Yes, if average 2026 CPI (January–December 2026) exceeds 2.75%, a further top-up is paid as a one-off pensionable payment in March 2027. (publications.scot.nhs.uk; nursinginpractice.com)
Two mistakes to avoid. First, do not expect the full 4.4% as one lump sum in February — the ongoing rate updates in February, but the arrears land mostly in March. Second, do not trust any table still showing 4.25% for 2025/26 or £26,658 for Band 2 Point 1 — it predates the January 2026 update. The correct Band 2 Point 1 figure for 2026/27 is £26,696. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Honest tradeoff: This page shows gross pay by band. It does not compute your net (take-home) pay after Scottish income tax and the NHS pension. Net pay needs a separate calculator, which is why we link out rather than guess your deductions.
NHS Scotland Pay Bands and Scales 2025/26 & 2026/27
NHS Scotland pay is organised into nine Agenda for Change bands (with Band 8 split into 8a, 8b, 8c and 8d), each with incremental pay points. The tables below show the confirmed 2025/26 (4.4%) and 2026/27 (3.75%) rates, computed on the inflation-guarantee-adjusted baseline. Hourly rates are based on a 37-hour week in 2025/26 and a 36-hour week in 2026/27. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Bands 1–4: Support and Associate Roles
| Band | Point | 2025/26 £ | 2026/27 £ | Uplift £ | Hourly (2026/27) |
| 1 | 1 | £25,597 | £26,557 | £960 | £14.15 |
| 2 | 1 | £25,731 | £26,696 | £965 | £14.22 |
| 2 | 2 | £27,941 | £28,988 | £1,047 | £15.44 |
| 3 | 1 | £28,051 | £29,103 | £1,052 | £15.50 |
| 3 | 2 | £30,274 | £31,409 | £1,135 | £16.73 |
| 4 | 1 | £30,397 | £31,537 | £1,140 | £16.80 |
| 4 | 2 | £33,063 | £34,303 | £1,240 | £18.27 |
Bands 5–7: Registered and Specialist Clinical Staff
| Band | Point | 2025/26 £ | 2026/27 £ | Uplift £ | Hourly (2026/27) |
| 5 | 1 | £33,295 | £34,544 | £1,249 | £18.40 |
| 5 | 2 | £35,576 | £36,911 | £1,335 | £19.66 |
| 5 | 3 | £41,483 | £43,039 | £1,556 | £22.93 |
| 6 | 1 | £41,668 | £43,231 | £1,563 | £23.03 |
| 6 | 2 | £43,503 | £45,135 | £1,632 | £24.04 |
| 6 | 3 | £50,775 | £52,679 | £1,904 | £28.06 |
| 7 | 1 | £50,935 | £52,845 | £1,910 | £28.15 |
| 7 | 2 | £52,880 | £54,863 | £1,983 | £29.23 |
| 7 | 3 | £59,244 | £61,466 | £2,222 | £32.74 |
Bands 8a–8d: Senior Specialist and Managerial Roles
| Band | Point | 2025/26 £ | 2026/27 £ | Uplift £ | Hourly (2026/27) |
| 8a | 1 | £62,772 | £65,125 | £2,353 | £34.69 |
| 8a | 2 | £67,762 | £70,303 | £2,541 | £37.45 |
| 8b | 1 | £74,109 | £76,888 | £2,779 | £40.96 |
| 8b | 2 | £79,278 | £82,251 | £2,973 | £43.82 |
| 8c | 1 | £87,526 | £90,808 | £3,282 | £48.38 |
| 8c | 2 | £93,820 | £97,338 | £3,518 | £51.85 |
| 8d | 1 | £103,913 | £107,810 | £3,897 | £57.43 |
| 8d | 2 | £108,362 | £112,426 | £4,064 | £59.89 |
Band 9: Strategic Leadership Roles
| Band | Point | 2025/26 £ | 2026/27 £ | Uplift £ | Hourly (2026/27) |
| 9 | 1 | £122,912 | £127,521 | £4,609 | £67.93 |
| 9 | 2 | £128,236 | £133,044 | £4,808 | £70.88 |
The 36-hour week raises your hourly rate. Because the same annual salary is divided by fewer hours from 1 April 2026, the effective hourly rate rises at every point. A Band 5 Point 1 nurse moves from £17.26 (37-hour week) to £18.40 (36-hour week); a Band 6 Point 1 moves to £23.03; a Band 7 Point 1 to £28.15. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Does the NHS Scotland Pay Rise Apply to You?
The rise applies to you if you are employed on an Agenda for Change contract in NHS Scotland. It does not apply to doctors, dentists, very senior managers, GPs or bank/agency staff, who sit under separate pay arrangements. (publications.scot.nhs.uk; nhspaycalculator.co.uk)
| Situation | Gets the rise? | How it works |
| Part-time staff | Yes | FTE pro-rata; same % uplift |
| Maternity leave | Yes | Uplift applies to substantive band/point; pay recalculated |
| Sick leave | Yes | Same logic as maternity |
| Mid-year starter (on/after 1 Apr 2025) | Yes | Arrears owed from start date |
| Leaver during the deal year | Yes (for period worked) | Contact former Board payroll |
| Pay protection (organisational change) | Yes | Protected earnings uplifted 4.4% then 3.75% |
| On-call staff | Yes | Allowance uplifted (see below) |
| Bank or agency staff | No | Separate terms |
| Doctors, dentists, GPs, very senior managers | No | Different pay frameworks |
On-call and retention payments. The On-Call Availability Allowance rises from £26.51 (from 1 April 2025, at 4.4%) to £27.51 per session (from 1 April 2026, at 3.75%). Recruitment and Retention Premia that track pay are uplifted 4.4% then 3.75%, with arrears paid accordingly. Staff on organisational-change pay protection have their protected earnings increased as if the uplifts applied from the start of each year. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
NHS Scotland is a Living Wage employer. The lowest 2025/26 salary is £25,597 (£13.27/hour), above the Real Living Wage of £12.60; the lowest 2026/27 salary is £26,557 (£14.15/hour), above the new Real Living Wage of £13.45. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
General practice nurses employed directly by GP practices receive 4.25% for 2025-26 in line with the AfC rise, funded by the Scottish Government. (nursinginpractice.com)
How Does NHS Scotland Pay Compare to England and to Inflation?
NHS Scotland staff earn more than NHS England counterparts at every Agenda for Change band, because Scotland sets pay through direct negotiation between the Scottish Government and trade unions rather than the Pay Review Body used in England. (csp.org.uk) As the CSP states, NHS Scotland is “not part of the pay review body process.” (csp.org.uk)
| Feature | NHS Scotland | NHS England |
| Pay negotiation | Direct Scottish Government–union talks | Pay Review Body (PRB) |
| 2025/26 headline | 4.4% (confirmed, paid) | Lower than Scotland (per PRB process) |
| 2026/27 headline | 3.75% (confirmed) | Not yet final |
| Inflation guarantee | Yes — CPI + 1 percentage point | No |
| Standard week | 37 hrs (2025/26) → 36 hrs (Apr 2026) | 37.5 hrs |
Scotland’s Band 2 entry salary is £25,731 in 2025/26 (publications.scot.nhs.uk), above England’s equivalent (nhspaycalculator.co.uk). The inflation guarantee is the structural reason Scotland’s deal holds its value: each year is locked to land at least 1 percentage point above CPI, so pay grows in real terms even if inflation rises. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
How Much Has NHS Scotland Pay Risen over Time?
The two-year deal delivers a cumulative rise of 8.16% on the original 4.25% + 3.75% figures. (publications.scot.nhs.uk) The Scottish Government rounds this to 8% in its public messaging. (gov.scot)
| Year | Headline uplift |
| 2025/26 | 4.4% (4.25% original + 0.15% inflation-guarantee top-up) |
| 2026/27 | 3.75% (plus a possible further top-up) |
| Cumulative (circular basis) | 8.16% |
| Cumulative (after the 4.4% adjustment) | ≈8.31% (calculated: 1.044 × 1.0375) |
The ≈8.31% compound figure is our own calculation; the circular states 8.16% on the original figures and does not restate a figure after the 4.4% adjustment. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Colin Poolman, RCN Scotland executive director, framed the deal against the longer trend: “We have highlighted repeatedly how nursing pay has been eroded over the years… Fair pay is vital to retain and recruit nursing staff.” (nursinginpractice.com)
Frequently Asked Questions
Will NHS Scotland Get a Pay Rise in 2026?
Yes. AfC staff get a confirmed 3.75% rise from 1 April 2026 under year two of the deal, with a possible additional top-up in March 2027 if 2026 CPI exceeds 2.75%. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
What Month Will the NHS Pay Rise Be Paid?
The 4.4% rate appears in February 2026 salaries, with arrears mostly in March 2026. The 3.75% 2026/27 rise is paid from 1 April 2026. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Has the NHS Scotland Pay Rise Been Accepted?
Yes. AfC staff voted to accept the two-year offer in May 2025; UNISON, Scotland’s biggest health union, reported an 86% accept vote. (unison-scotland.org; gov.scot)
What Is the NHS Pay Deal for 2026?
The 2026/27 element is a 3.75% uplift from 1 April 2026, applied to all AfC pay points on top of the 4.4% already delivered in 2025/26, and guaranteed to stay at least 1% above CPI. (publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Is the NHS Scotland Pay Rise Backdated?
Yes — the deal is backdated to 1 April 2025. The original 4.25% back pay was paid in 2025; the additional 0.15% (to reach 4.4%) is paid as arrears in February–March 2026. (gov.scot; publications.scot.nhs.uk)
Does the NHS Scotland Pay Rise Cover Doctors and Dentists?
No. Doctors, dentists, very senior managers and GPs are on separate pay frameworks. The AfC rise covers non-medical staff such as nurses, midwives, paramedics, AHPs, porters and admin staff. (publications.scot.nhs.uk; nhspaycalculator.co.uk)