There is no single UK-wide Agenda for Change table that guarantees the same resignation notice period for every NHS employee in a given band.
Your actual notice period is normally set by your contract of employment, written statement and local employer policy. That is why searches such as “NHS Band 5 notice period” or “NHS Band 6 notice period” can produce different answers from different trusts.
As a legal minimum, Acas says an employee who has worked for at least one month must normally give at least one week’s notice when resigning, unless the contract requires more. Acas — notice when resigning
Direct answer: check your contract first. Band-based tables published by individual NHS employers are useful examples, but they are not automatically your own contractual notice period.
Typical NHS notice-period patterns are local, not universal
Many NHS employers use a band-based structure. For example, one NHS employer’s current guidance gives a rough guide of:
| Example grouping | Example local notice |
|---|---|
| Bands 1–4 | 1 month |
| Bands 5–6 | 2 months |
| Bands 7–9 | 3 months |
But even that employer notes that the exact period is in the contract, and older employment arrangements can differ. University Hospitals Birmingham — notice period
Other trusts use slightly different groupings, such as Bands 5–7 sharing an eight-week period.
So this site should not turn an example into a national rule.
What is the NHS Band 5 notice period?
A common local pattern is around two months/eight weeks, but this is not a guaranteed national AfC entitlement.
For the correct answer:
1. open your contract or written statement;
2. search for “notice”, “termination” or “resignation”;
3. check your trust/board’s current leaving-employment policy;
4. confirm with HR if the wording is unclear.
If your contract says eight weeks, the fact that another trust publishes one month or three months does not replace your contractual term.
What is the NHS Band 6 notice period?
Band 6 commonly appears in local policies with an eight-week or two-month notice requirement. However, the same rule applies: your contract controls unless it has been lawfully varied.
Do not use an online Band 6 answer as authority for shortening your notice.
What is the NHS Band 7 notice period?
Local NHS policies vary. Some group Band 7 with Band 5–7 at around eight weeks; others group Band 7 with senior roles at around three months.
This variation is exactly why separate pages such as `/band-7-notice-period/` would increase retrieval cost without giving a more reliable answer. Keep all bands on this one canonical guide and explain the local-policy dependency.
What about Bands 8 and 9?
Senior AfC roles often have longer contractual notice periods, commonly around three months in local NHS policies.
Medical and dental staff, executives and other non-AfC staff may have completely different contract terms. Do not infer their notice from an Agenda for Change band table.
Statutory notice vs contractual notice
These are not the same thing.
When you resign
Acas says that if you have been employed for at least one month, the statutory minimum you normally need to give is one week. Your employment contract can require a longer period. Acas — notice when resigning
When your employer dismisses you or makes you redundant
Different statutory minimums apply. Acas states that, broadly:
- 1 month to 2 years’ service → at least 1 week;
- 2 to 12 years → 1 week for each complete year;
- 12 years or more → 12 weeks.
A contract can provide more notice but cannot reduce an employee’s statutory rights. Acas — notice when dismissed/redundant
That distinction matters because a search for “NHS notice period” may mean either how much notice I must give or how much notice my employer must give me.
Can you leave the NHS before your notice period ends?
You can ask, but you should not assume you can choose a shorter date unilaterally.
The employer may agree to:
- shorten or waive part of the notice;
- use accrued annual leave during notice;
- agree another leaving arrangement.
Get any agreement in writing.
Leaving without working the contractual notice can have contractual consequences, so users should speak to HR, a union or Acas where necessary.
Can annual leave be used during an NHS notice period?
Potentially, subject to normal leave approval and the employer’s policy.
The employee might take some accrued leave before the termination date, or the employer may pay untaken statutory/contractual leave where applicable on termination.
The annual-leave calculation is a separate issue from the notice period itself. Link users to the NHS Annual Leave Calculator for entitlement estimates.
Does sickness change your notice period?
Sickness does not automatically erase a contractual notice period. Pay during a notice period can depend on whether the person resigned or was dismissed/redundant, the contractual notice, statutory notice and their sickness/maternity status.
Acas publishes separate guidance on final pay during notice. This page should therefore avoid promising that someone will receive ordinary full salary for every day of a notice period while absent.
What if you are at risk of redundancy?
Do not resign purely to avoid waiting for a redundancy process without understanding the consequences.
Acas warns that resigning after being told a role is at risk of redundancy can affect entitlement to redundancy pay. If redundancy is in progress, read the NHS Redundancy Calculator and check the employer’s process before making a decision.
Does NHS service transfer your old notice period?
Not necessarily.
Continuous NHS service can matter for several employment benefits, but a new employer/contract can still state its own termination notice. Read the actual contract for the current job.
Do not infer notice solely from total NHS service or pay step.
How to find your exact NHS notice period in two minutes
Use this order:
1. Contract / written statement — primary document for resignation notice.
2. Local trust or board policy — check the latest version.
3. HR / people team — confirm if policy and contract conflict.
4. Trade union — useful if there is a dispute or proposed variation.
5. Acas — for the statutory employment-law baseline.
What to search for in your contract
Look for:
- termination;
- notice;
- resignation;
- contractual notice;
- probation;
- payment in lieu of notice;
- garden leave;
- annual leave on termination.
NHS notice-period table: how this site should present it
The site may show a common local pattern for orientation, but label it clearly:
“Illustrative NHS-employer pattern — your contract may differ.”
Do not label an example as “the Agenda for Change national notice period” unless a current national provision specifically states it.
Key points
- Your contract, not a generic band table, is the first place to check.
- One week’s notice is the usual statutory minimum for an employee resigning after at least one month, but contracts commonly require longer.
- NHS trusts and boards can use different band groupings.
- Band 5 and Band 6 are often around eight weeks/two months locally, but that is not universal.
- Senior bands often have longer notice, but again the contract controls.
- Medical/dental staff may use different terms.
- Get any agreement to shorten notice in writing.
Frequently asked questions
Is NHS Band 5 notice always two months?
No. Two months/eight weeks is a common local pattern, but the actual answer is in the employee’s contract and current local policy.
Is NHS Band 6 notice always eight weeks?
No. Eight weeks is common in local NHS policies, but it is not safe to treat it as a universal national AfC rule.
Can my manager force me to work my full notice?
An employer can normally expect an employee to comply with the contractual notice. You can ask to agree an earlier release; seek advice if there is a dispute.
Does annual leave reduce my notice period?
Annual leave can be taken during the notice period if approved, but it does not automatically change the contractual termination date unless the employer agrees.
What if my contract and intranet policy show different periods?
Ask HR/People Services to confirm which term applies and request the answer in writing. A trade union or Acas can help if there is a contractual dispute.