NHS Bank Holiday Pay 2025/26: How Much You’ll Be Paid by Band

Working a bank holiday in the NHS pays an unsocial hours enhancement of time plus 60% on your basic hourly rate for Bands 4–9, time plus 83% for Band 2, and time plus 69% for Band 3 (NHS Employers — Unsocial hours payments). If the hours are overtime, the rate is double time instead (RCN — NHS conditions of employment). The 8 UK bank holidays are a separate entitlement on top of your 27, 29, or 33 days of annual leave (NHS Leave Calculator).

Is It Double Pay on a Bank Holiday in the NHS?

No — not automatically. The NHS pays a banded percentage on top of your normal hourly rate for unsocial hours worked on a bank holiday, and a separate double-time rate for overtime worked on a bank holiday. The two rules are different and apply in different situations.

For unsocial hours on a bank holiday (any hour you work between midnight and midnight on the public holiday), the percentage depends on your pay band:

• Bands 4–9: time plus 60%
• Band 3: time plus 69%
• Band 2: time plus 83%
• Band 1: time plus 94%

Source: NHS Employers — Unsocial hours payments.

For overtime on a bank holiday (hours you work beyond 37.5 per week, or beyond your contracted hours if part-time), the rate is double your standard hourly rate — that is the only NHS situation where “double time on a bank holiday” is literally true. Source: RCN — NHS conditions of employment.

These two rules cover most bank-holiday pay situations. The rest of this guide shows what each one means in pounds per hour for your band.

What Is the Bank Holiday Pay Rate by Band?

The bank-holiday unsocial hours rate is a percentage of your basic hourly rate, added on top. Your basic hourly rate is your annual salary divided by 52.14 weeks, then divided by 37.5 hours. Source: NHS Employers — Unsocial hours payments.

Bank Holiday Enhancement Percentages (England, 2025/26)

Source: NHS Employers — Unsocial hours payments.

The lower bands get a higher percentage because the AfC system was designed to narrow the gap between lower-paid and higher-paid staff when working unsocial hours — a legacy of merging the old Whitley Council terms when AfC was created.

Overtime on a Bank Holiday

If the bank-holiday hours push you over 37.5 hours in the week (rest of UK) or 37 hours (Scotland), the extra hours are overtime, paid at double time instead of the unsocial hours enhancement. Source: RCN — NHS conditions of employment.

Bands 8 and 9 in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland are not eligible for overtime pay at all.

How Much Will I Earn per Hour on a Bank Holiday?

The 2025/26 base hourly rates for England, taken from the RCN’s published NHS pay tables, are below. Multiply by the banded percentage above to get your bank-holiday hourly rate.

England — 2025/26 NHS Bank Holiday Hourly Rates (Substantive Staff)

Source for basic rates and overtime-on-BH: RCN — 2025/26 hourly rates and overtime pay. Bank-holiday unsocial rates calculated using the banded percentages from NHS Employers.

For a 12-hour bank-holiday shift:

• A Band 2 on entry earns about £274.80 at the unsocial rate, or £300.24 if the shift is overtime.
• A Band 5 on the top point earns about £371.16 at the unsocial rate, or £463.92 if overtime.
• A Band 7 on entry earns about £469.44 at the unsocial rate, or £586.80 if overtime.

Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland each set their own hourly rates. The RCN publishes the full per-nation tables for 2025/26 at RCN — NHS conditions of employment.

Does the Answer Change if I Am an NHS Bank Worker?

Yes — substantially. NHS bank workers are not on Agenda for Change contracts. They are zero-hours workers, paid at rates set by their trust or by NHS Professionals, with holiday pay rolled up into every hour they work. Source: Imperial Staff Bank (Reed) — Understanding holiday pay.

Three things are different for bank workers:

1. Pay rate is trust-set, not nationally set. Each trust publishes its own bank-rate table. Example: Frimley Health’s October 2025 bank rate for a Band 5 Sunday or bank holiday is £30.56 per hour excluding WTD, or £34.25 including WTD (FHFT Non-Medical Bank Rates, Oct 2025). Another trust may pay more or less.
2. Holiday pay is rolled up at 12.07%. Bank workers do not receive separate paid annual leave or bank holidays. Instead, 12.07% is added to every hour’s pay as Rolled-Up Holiday Pay, calculated from the 5.6 weeks of statutory leave required by the Working Time Directive. This shows on the payslip as a line called “WTD Pay”. Source: Imperial Staff Bank (Reed) — Understanding holiday pay.
3. Pension treatment is capped. Substantive staff’s bank-holiday enhancement is pensionable. For bank workers, NHS Pension contributions can be made on bank shifts but are subject to a cap that varies by case. Source: NHSBands — NHS Bank Shifts Guide.

In practice, the bank rate per hour (excluding the 12.07% WTD) is often higher than the substantive rate for the same band, because the higher headline rate is meant to substitute for the lack of paid leave, sick pay, and pension accrual. Reddit users routinely report earning roughly double their substantive hourly rate for a Sunday or bank-holiday bank shift (r/NursingUK — Is the NHS cutting use of bank staff?).

For bank workers paid through NHS Professionals, the leave and pay mechanics are set out in NHSP — Annual leave FAQ.

Do Bank Holidays Count as Annual Leave in the NHS?

No — they are a separate entitlement. Bank holidays sit alongside your annual leave, not inside it. Source: NHS Leave Calculator — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Explained.

Under Agenda for Change, full-time staff working 37.5 hours per week (37 hours in Scotland) receive 8 bank holidays per year, equal to 60 hours, in addition to their annual leave of:

• 27 days (35 days total with bank holidays) for the first 5 years
• 29 days (37 days total) after 5 years
• 33 days (41 days total) after 10 years

Source: RCN — NHS conditions of employment.

If you are a Monday-to-Friday worker and a bank holiday falls on a scheduled day, you take the day off using your bank-holiday hours, and nothing is deducted from your annual leave. If you are a shift worker, your trust usually adds the 60 hours to your leave balance at the start of the year, and you draw them down when a bank holiday falls on a working day.

The 8 UK bank holidays are: New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Early May Bank Holiday, Spring Bank Holiday, Summer Bank Holiday, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day. Source: NHS Leave Calculator.

Bank Holidays by Nation

Source: NHSPayBand — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Calculator.

How Is Bank Holiday Entitlement Calculated for Part-Time Staff?

Pro-rata to your contracted hours. The formula is:

Bank holiday hours = (your contracted hours per week ÷ 37.5) × (bank holidays in your nation × 7.5)

Source: NHS Leave Calculator — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Explained.

Worked examples:

• Full-time, 37.5 hours per week, England: 37.5 ÷ 37.5 × (8 × 7.5) = 60 hours of bank holiday allowance per year.
• Part-time, 22.5 hours per week, England: 22.5 ÷ 37.5 × 60 = 36 hours per year.
• Part-time, 30 hours per week, Scotland: 30 ÷ 37.5 × (9 × 7.5) = 54 hours per year.
• Part-time, 24 hours per week, Northern Ireland: 24 ÷ 37.5 × (10 × 7.5) = 48 hours per year.

Source: NHSPayBand — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Calculator.

These hours are yours regardless of which days of the week you work. A part-time worker whose shifts never fall on a Monday can still use the full pro-rata allowance as flexible leave at any other time.

Can I Get Time Off in Lieu Instead of Bank Holiday Pay?

For overtime, yes. For unsocial hours, no — not as a national right. Source: RCN — NHS conditions of employment.

The RCN’s published terms say: “You can request time off in lieu instead of overtime.” That is the overtime rule.

For the unsocial hours enhancement on a bank holiday, the position is different. The AfC handbook requires the enhancement to be paid, not converted into time. Some local trust policies do offer a substitute day off as well, but this is a local enhancement, not a national entitlement. Check your trust’s policy or ask your HR department.

The NHS Leave Calculator’s plain-English summary is consistent with this: if you work the bank holiday, you get paid the enhancement and keep your bank-holiday hours in your leave balance to use another time (NHS Leave Calculator).

What if a Bank Holiday Falls on My Day Off?

The hours stay in your bank-holiday balance. You can use them as extra leave on another day. Source: NHS Leave Calculator — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Explained.

This is the hours-based system that shift workers rely on. You do not lose the entitlement just because the bank holiday did not fall on a working day. The 60 hours (or your pro-rata equivalent) sit in your leave balance from the start of the leave year, and you draw them down only when a bank holiday falls on a day you would otherwise have worked.

What Happens to My Bank Holiday Entitlement During Sick Leave or Maternity Leave?

The hours continue to accrue. You do not lose them. Source: NHS Leave Calculator.

If a bank holiday falls while you are on sick leave, the hours stay in your balance for when you return. You cannot double-count by being recorded as both sick and on bank holiday leave on the same day, but the entitlement is preserved.

The same applies to maternity, paternity, adoption, and shared parental leave. The AfC handbook confirms that pay during family leave is calculated as if you were at work, so any bank holidays that fall in that period are paid at your normal rate and the hours remain available to use on return.

If you leave the NHS entirely, any accrued but untaken bank-holiday hours are paid out as pay in lieu under the Working Time Regulations 1998. Source: NHS Leave Calculator.

Does the Bank Holiday Enhancement Apply to Night Shifts Too?

Yes — and the two enhancements can stack. Source: NHSPayBand — NHS Overtime & Unsocial Hours Calculator.

A night shift that runs from, say, 19:30 on Christmas Eve to 07:30 on Christmas Day is partly a night shift and partly a bank-holiday shift. The hours that fall on the bank holiday qualify for the bank-holiday percentage, and the night-shift hours qualify for the night-shift percentage. Where the two overlap, the percentages add together.

For a Band 5 working a Sunday or bank-holiday night, the stacked enhancement is time plus 98% (60% for the bank-holiday element plus 30% for the night element, because Band 5 falls in the 4–9 grouping for both). For a Band 2 it is time plus 129% (83% + 41% + stacking rounding), and for a Band 3 it is time plus 111% (69% + 37% + stacking). Source: NHSPayBand — NHS Overtime & Unsocial Hours Calculator.

Some trusts apply the higher enhancement to the whole shift if any part of it falls on a bank holiday, rather than splitting it hour by hour. Check your local policy.

Will the 2025/26 Pay Award Increase My Bank Holiday Rate?

Yes — your bank-holiday rate is recalculated automatically when your basic pay changes. Source: BSO NI — Agenda for Change 2024/25 Pay Award Implementation FAQ.

The BSO’s published guidance for the most recent pay award confirms that any enhancements (unsocial, Saturday, Sunday, bank holiday) or overtime worked from the effective date are recalculated on the new rates, and any arrears owed are paid in the next available salary. The same principle applies every time a new AfC pay award is agreed.

For NHS bank workers, this is less certain. Bank rates are set locally, and whether a trust applies a national pay uplift to its bank workers varies. NHS Professionals, the national NHS bank, sets its own rates. Source: r/nhsstaff — 5.5% + Backlog Pay + bank shifts.

What Should I Do if My Payslip Is Wrong?

Check the payslip first, then escalate in this order:

1. Check the figures yourself. The bank-holiday enhancement should appear as a separate payment line on your payslip for the month you worked the bank holiday, calculated at your banded percentage on your basic hourly rate. For bank workers, the WTD Pay line should show 12.07% of your bank earnings for that month. Sources: NHS Leave Calculator; Imperial Staff Bank (Reed).
2. Raise it with your payroll department. Mistakes are common, especially the first month after a pay award. Most underpayments are corrected at this stage.
3. Speak to your HR team or union representative if payroll cannot resolve it. The relevant AfC handbook sections are Section 2 (Maintaining Round-the-Clock Services) for the enhancement rules and Section 3 for overtime. The handbook is the binding document.
4. Raise a formal grievance if the issue is not resolved. Your union (RCN, Unison, GMB, or the appropriate federation for your role) can support this.

If a trust has deducted bank holidays from your annual leave balance, that is incorrect under Agenda for Change and should be challenged. The only legitimate exception is where the trust has combined annual leave and bank-holiday hours into a single balance for administrative simplicity — in which case the total should still equal your annual leave entitlement plus the bank-holiday entitlement. Source: NHS Leave Calculator.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does NHS Pay Double on Bank Holidays?

Not for ordinary unsocial hours worked on a bank holiday — the rate is a banded percentage, not double. Bands 4–9 get time plus 60%, Band 3 gets time plus 69%, Band 2 gets time plus 83%, and Band 1 gets time plus 94% ( NHS Employers ). Overtime worked on a bank holiday is paid at double time ( RCN ).

What Are the Rules on Bank Holiday Pay in the NHS?

The rules are set out in Section 2 of the AfC handbook for unsocial hours and Section 3 for overtime. Section 2 pays a banded percentage on top of your basic hourly rate; Section 3 pays time and a half for overtime, or double time for overtime on a public holiday. Source: NHS Employers — NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook .

Is It Double Pay on Bank Holiday Monday?

No — bank holiday Mondays are paid at the banded unsocial hours percentage, not double time. Double time only applies if the hours are overtime, meaning they take you over 37.5 hours in the week. Source: RCN .

Do Bank Holidays Count as Annual Leave in the NHS?

No — they are a separate entitlement. Full-time staff get 8 bank holidays (60 hours) on top of 27, 29, or 33 days of annual leave depending on service. Source: NHS Leave Calculator .

How Is Bank Holiday Pay Calculated for Part-Time Staff?

Pro-rata to your contracted hours. The formula is (your contracted weekly hours ÷ 37.5) × (bank holidays in your nation × 7.5). Source: NHS Leave Calculator .

Do NHS Bank Staff Get Bank Holiday Pay?

Yes — through Rolled-Up Holiday Pay at 12.07%, added to every hour’s pay. They do not receive separate bank holidays as leave. Source: Imperial Staff Bank (Reed) .

What Is WTD Pay on My NHS Payslip?

WTD Pay is your Rolled-Up Holiday Pay — 12.07% of every hour you work as a bank worker, representing the 5.6 weeks of statutory annual leave. Source: Imperial Staff Bank (Reed) .

Will the 2025/26 Pay Award Increase My Bank Holiday Rate?

Yes — for substantive staff, your bank-holiday rate is automatically recalculated on your new basic pay, with arrears paid. Bank workers depend on their trust’s policy. Source: BSO NI .

What Happens if I Am on Sick Leave over a Bank Holiday?

The bank-holiday hours stay in your balance — you do not lose them, and you cannot be recorded as both sick and on bank holiday leave on the same day. Source: NHS Leave Calculator .

What Is the Overtime Rate on a Bank Holiday in the NHS?

Double your standard hourly rate. This applies to overtime hours only — that is, hours worked over 37.5 per week. Source: RCN . Sources NHS Employers — Unsocial hours payments NHS Employers — NHS Terms and Conditions of Service Handbook RCN — NHS conditions of employment (2025/26 rates) NHS Leave Calculator — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Explained NHSPayBand — NHS Bank Holidays Entitlement Calculator NHSPayBand — NHS Overtime & Unsocial Hours Calculator NHSBands — NHS Bank Shifts Guide 2026/27 Imperial Staff Bank (Reed) — Understanding holiday pay NHS Professionals — Annual leave booking FAQ BSO NI — Agenda for Change 2024/25 Pay Award Implementation FAQ Frimley Health NHS Foundation Trust — Non-Medical Bank Rates, Oct 2025 Health Service Discounts — NHS Bank Holidays 2025 Q&A